AI TRENDS | Poll: More Than 70% of Americans Say Trump Administration Falls Short on AI and Data Center Oversight

A University of Southern California Annenberg survey found widespread concern about the expansion of artificial intelligence and supporting infrastructure, with most respondents calling for stronger oversight and questioning whether technology companies and the government prioritize the public interest. According to Sina Finance, the probability-based national poll, conducted through the Understanding America Study, found nearly one-third of Americans ranked AI and data centers among the country’s three most important issues, behind inflation and the cost of living (86%) and political polarization (35%). The survey found 76% of respondents considered government oversight of AI seriously insufficient, while 77% said data center oversight was inadequate. Some 71% said they completely distrusted large technology companies to consider the public interest in data center construction; 59% said the same of the federal government. Concerns crossed party lines. On AI oversight, the figures were 86% among Democrats, 72% among independents and other respondents, and 68% among Republicans. For data center oversight, they were 88%, 73%, and 69%, respectively. Distrust of technology companies’ commitment to the public interest in data center development stood at 79% among Democrats, 72% among independents and other respondents, and 61% among Republicans. Views of AI were negative or mixed for many respondents: 32% felt somewhat or very negative, 40% were ambivalent, and 20% felt somewhat or very positive. Six in ten said data centers had some or substantial negative effects on nearby communities, and 67% said they harmed the environment. Looking ahead ten years, 36% expected AI to affect their lives mainly negatively, compared with 24% who expected mainly positive effects. Daily AI users were more positive than less frequent users, but nearly three-quarters still considered government oversight of AI and data centers insufficient. Among respondents who had used AI, 44% said they used it more often than they wanted, while 7% wanted to use it more.