GoKawiilPolitico poll: two-thirds of Americans see AI as existential threat
A Politico survey of over 2,000 adults found that about 66 percent believe there's at least a moderate chance advanced AI could destroy humanity, with 17 percent saying they're almost certain of it. The concern spans political lines, with 70 percent of Harris voters and 60 percent of Trump voters expressing similar fears, while only 22 percent see minimal risk.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
This survey lands amid growing public statements from AI industry figures themselves warning about catastrophic risks, including a former Anthropic researcher's departure accusing the company of 'gambling with lives' and Dario Amodei's call for coordinated slowdown among AI firms. The data suggests these warnings are shaping mainstream opinion rather than being dismissed as hype, with only about a quarter of Americans viewing such claims as marketing tactics.
- Roughly two-thirds of Americans see at least moderate existential risk from AI, per Politico polling.
- Concern is bipartisan, with 70% of Harris voters and 60% of Trump voters agreeing.
- Only 26% view AI leaders' doom warnings as a marketing stunt, showing broad public trust in the concern.
Source: futurism.com — Frank Landymore, 2026-09-18
Published there as: “The Majority of Americans Are Now Terrified of AI”
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