Most Americans want AI development to slow down or stop entirely, new poll finds
Matthias Bastian
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Oct 5, 2026
Most Americans want AI development to slow down. According to a Quinnipiac University poll, 47 percent want to reduce the pace, and 30 percent want a full stop until safety has been verified. Only five percent want faster development. 86 percent support the independent safety standards currently under debate for AI companies, even if they slow progress. 73 percent worry that AI could eventually threaten humanity's survival. And 74 percent have little or no trust in the leaders of AI companies. "Taken together, these results suggest that the public wants safeguards that do not depend simply on taking company leaders at their word," said Chetan Jaiswal of Quinnipiac University.
| Question | Result |
|---|---|
| Will AI do more harm than good in daily life? | 53% say yes |
| Are guardrails for AI systems in the US important? | 91% say yes |
| Is keeping pace with China on AI important? | 69% say yes |
| Opposed to an AI data center in their own community? | 72% opposed |
| More worried about humans misusing AI than about autonomous AI? | 52% say yes |
The poll surveyed 1,202 US adults from September 24 to 27, with a margin of error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.
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Source: Quinnipiac University