Stanford AI Index 2026 Shows Widening Gap Between AI Experts and Public Trust

Stanford HAI's 2026 AI Index Report reveals a stark divergence between AI experts and the American public on the technology's impact, with 56% of experts predicting positive outcomes versus only 10% of Americans expressing more excitement than concern. The gap is most pronounced on employment and economic issues, where 73% of experts feel positive about AI's job impact compared to just 23% of the public, and 64% of Americans believe AI will reduce jobs over 20 years. The U.S. shows the lowest trust globally in government AI regulation at 31% compared to Singapore's 81%, while 41% of Americans say federal regulation won't go far enough. Gen Z leads growing negative sentiment despite using AI daily or weekly at the highest rates, and public nervousness about AI rose from 50% to 52% between 2024 and 2025.

Growing Divergence Between AI Expert and Public Opinion

• ▪44% of the U.S. general public said AI would have a largely positive impact on medical care over the next 20 years.
• ▪Stanford University's 2026 AI Index report noted that AI experts and the public's opinion on AI technology are increasingly diverging.
• ▪Stanford University's annual report on the AI industry was released on a Monday in 2026.
• ▪73% of AI experts felt positive about AI's impact on how people do their jobs.
• ▪Only 10% of Americans said they were more excited than concerned about the increased use of AI in daily life, according to a Pew Research report published in March 2026.
• ▪56% of AI experts said they believed AI would have a positive impact on the U.S. over the next 20 years.
• ▪Respondents who said that AI makes them nervous grew from 50% in 2024 to 52% in 2025.
• ▪Globally, those who feel like AI products and services offer more benefits than drawbacks rose from 55% in 2024 to 59% in 2025.
• ▪69% of AI experts felt that AI would have a positive impact on the economy.

Public Concerns About AI's Economic and Workplace Impact

• ▪Nearly two-thirds of Americans, or 64%, said they think AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years, according to Pew Research data.
• ▪Stanford University's 2026 AI Index report noted a growing trend of anxiety around AI in the U.S. concerning jobs, medical care, and the economy.
• ▪Recent attacks on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's home occurred in 2026.
• ▪A United Healthcare CEO was shot in 2024.

Trust in AI Regulation and Government Oversight

• ▪Nationwide in the U.S., 41% of respondents said federal AI regulation will not go far enough.
• ▪27% of U.S. respondents said federal AI regulation would go too far.
• ▪The U.S. reported the lowest trust in its government to regulate AI responsibly at 31%, according to Ipsos data in Stanford's 2026 AI Index report.

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