2 in 3 Americans Disapprove of How Trump is Handling AI. Most Believe it Will Likely Eliminate Many Jobs.

Most Americans believe artificial intelligence is bad for society and disapprove of President Donald Trump's handling of the technology, according to a new poll.

The findings from the ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll, released Wednesday, show that 57% of U.S. adults view AI negatively, while 67% disapprove of Trump's management of the technology. About two-thirds oppose building new data centers nationwide, exposing a divide between the White House's economic message and public concerns about AI's consequences.

The backlash extends across party lines as majorities of Republicans and Democrats want stronger federal oversight and oppose new data centers in their communities, according to the survey.

Trump has promoted AI development and the facilities powering it as essential to American prosperity and national security. His administration has argued that excessive regulation could undermine U.S. competitiveness, particularly against China.

But the survey suggests many Americans see greater risks than rewards, especially when considering their livelihoods. More than six in 10 respondents said there is a high or very high risk that AI will eliminate many jobs. Similar majorities expressed concern about AI penetrating secure computer systems and weakening people's ability to make decisions independently.

Fewer than one-third saw a big or very big chance that AI would create many jobs, simplify everyday tasks or help the United States achieve technological dominance. Those responses measure public expectations, rather than establish what the technology will ultimately do. They nevertheless illustrate the challenge facing an administration that has made AI expansion a priority.

Roughly two-thirds of Americans say the federal government is doing too little to regulate AI's growth and development. A majority of Republicans share that assessment, suggesting the demand for oversight reaches into Trump's own political coalition.

Data centers have become a particularly visible source of disagreement. The facilities contain the computing infrastructure supporting AI systems and other digital services. About half of Republicans oppose new data centers nationally, compared with 76% of Democrats. Opposition becomes bipartisan at the community level, with majorities in both parties rejecting construction near home.

The debate has surfaced in midterm contests, including races in Ohio and Michigan. Some Republican candidates have distanced themselves from the administration's enthusiastic support for the facilities. The White House defended its approach, saying the president seeks to maintain American leadership in AI while protecting consumers.

Public skepticism, however, does not translate into a clear political advantage for either party. Nearly half of Americans say they trust neither Democrats nor Republicans to handle AI. Democrats receive the confidence of 26% of respondents, compared with 19% for Republicans.

The poll also reveals a gap between how Americans judge AI's personal usefulness and its broader social effects. While 42% consider AI at least somewhat good for society, half say it is at least somewhat good for them personally. That suggests people can find practical value in the technology while remaining uneasy about its collective consequences.

Even favorable assessments were generally restrained, with positive responses leaning toward moderate enthusiasm. At the more severe end of public concern, about one-third believe AI poses a high or very high risk of human extinction.

The survey was conducted online Oct. 9-13 among 2,545 U.S. adults through Ipsos KnowledgePanel, a probability-based panel recruited using random sampling methods. Results were weighted to reflect population characteristics and political factors. The overall margin of sampling error is plus or minus two percentage points.