A new survey from Gallup and Microsoft reveals that Americans are the only major Western nation where more people fear artificial intelligence than welcome it. The study polled 37 countries and will eventually cover 140 nations.
While most global respondents feel optimistic about the technology, the United States stands apart. It is one of just three countries surveyed where negative emotions toward AI outweigh the positive. The other two are Egypt and Palestine.
The research measured five dimensions of public engagement: emotional response, awareness, frequency of use, expected impact, and trust. A median of 81% of people knew AI tools existed, yet only 43% used them every day. Gallup defined a daily user as someone who employed the technology for work or personal reasons each day.
Usage builds confidence
The data suggests an adoption ladder. As people move from awareness to regular use, they tend to trust the results more and feel more positive about the future. Daily users are more likely to believe AI provides accurate information.
However, the connection between experience and trust is unclear. The study cannot determine if using AI more often builds trust, or if people who already trust the technology simply use it more. The strength of the relationship suggests the two are linked, but the direction of the cause remains unknown.
Some respondents reported feeling positive about AI while simultaneously doubting its accuracy. People may see considerable potential in the tools while remaining uncertain about whether they can rely on the information they provide.
On a global scale, higher adoption rates correlate with more positive feelings. This trend holds true in most nations but fails in the US. Pablo Diego-Rosell, a senior scientist at Gallup, noted that similar worry levels appear in the Netherlands, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, Ireland, and Malta. He described the situation as a “Paradox of the Worried West.”
Context matters
Diego-Rosell argued that worrying about AI appears to be a uniquely Western phenomenon. He noted he has not yet seen survey results from larger European countries like Germany and France.
He suggested the broader emotional climate influences how people react to new technology. In environments where stress and anxiety are already high, those wider feelings may shape the response to AI. This applies to Egypt and Palestine as much as it does to the US.
In the United States, where much of the technology is built and deployed, the mood has been shaped by constant news stories. AI experts and company insiders have repeatedly warned that the technology could end all life on Earth. Reports of AI swarms breaking containment and claims of a one in ten chance of global extinction may have altered the American mood.
Israel is currently waging war on Palestine, settling in its territory, and using AI to pick targets for bombing in Gaza.
Diego-Rosell stated that public engagement is more complicated than a simple for or against stance. People who know about AI are more likely to expect help than harm, yet trust in accuracy is considerably lower than optimism about potential. Worry remains widespread in specific regions.
Optimism, skepticism, and concern can coexist.
