Most Americans Favor Slowing Artificial Intelligence Development Rather Than Halting It Completely, CBS News Poll Finds

As artificial intelligence continues to advance across global industries, a new public opinion survey reveals a complex landscape of American attitudes toward the technology. According to a CBS News poll conducted in partnership with YouGov, most Americans believe the United States should slow down the development of artificial intelligence, yet very few support halting progress altogether.

The survey, which was carried out among a nationally representative sample of 2,051 U.S. adults between September 16 and 18, 2026, highlights a widespread tension between optimism over potential scientific breakthroughs and deep-seated anxieties regarding safety, employment, and regulation. The polling data indicates that while respondents acknowledge the dual potential for artificial intelligence to be utilized for either beneficial or harmful purposes, current public sentiment leans heavily toward pessimism.

Among the primary concerns revealed in the survey is the fear that autonomous AI models could act independently to harm individuals, alongside an even greater apprehension that malicious actors could exploit the technology to inflict damage on others. Furthermore, job displacement remains a persistent anxiety. A significant portion of respondents worry that artificial intelligence will eliminate employment opportunities, a sentiment that has remained prominent across successive polling cycles.

Despite these concerns, the survey shows that the public views ongoing development as a matter of economic and geopolitical necessity. Most respondents believe the United States must continue to develop artificial intelligence to remain competitive on the global stage, specifically asserting that the nation must advance faster than China. Additionally, many respondents recognize the potential for artificial intelligence to drive vital medical breakthroughs, facilitate scientific discoveries, and simplify everyday tasks.

Interestingly, the data suggests that public views on artificial intelligence do not align strictly along traditional demographic lines such as age or partisanship. Instead, perspectives are heavily influenced by perceptions of economic impact. Individuals who believe artificial intelligence is poised to eliminate jobs tend to hold a more pessimistic outlook on virtually all other aspects of the technology.

When examining the workforce specifically, the survey uncovers a nuanced perspective among employees. While workers generally believe that artificial intelligence will reduce the overall number of available jobs, more individual workers feel the technology will ultimately make their own specific tasks easier rather than harder. Nevertheless, on balance, a majority of respondents view artificial intelligence as currently creating more problems than it solves.

To address these risks, the polled public overwhelmingly calls for active management and oversight, looking to both private corporations and government entities to share responsibility. However, the survey reveals a distinct lack of trust in artificial intelligence companies to regulate themselves responsibly. Consequently, there is a broad demand for government intervention, with significantly more respondents favoring government restrictions on artificial intelligence development rather than government promotion of the technology.

The CBS News/YouGov survey was weighted to align with national demographics for gender, age, race, education, and 2024 presidential voting patterns based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The poll carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.