Approximately 60% of American adults report reading AI-generated summaries at the top of search engine results, with around 30% stating they do not, and 10% expressing uncertainty.
Google AI Overviews can reduce the likelihood of users clicking on traditional search results, potentially replacing browsing instead of promoting it, according to a recent study by Pew.
Adoption and Utilization of Chatbots
49% of American adults report using AI chatbots, an increase from 33% in 2024, indicating a growing acceptance of these tools. Roughly 25% of U.S. adults use chatbots on a daily basis.
In 2023, 18% of American adults had tested ChatGPT, with the figure rising to 44% later. ChatGPT is the most popular, with Gemini at 24%, Copilot at 17%, Meta AI at 14%, Grok at 8%, Claude at 6%, and Character.ai at 3% following behind.
AI chatbots are primarily utilized by individuals for information retrieval, with a significant proportion also using them for work-related purposes and entertainment.
Americans’ Perspectives on the Influence of Artificial Intelligence
40% of U.S. adults anticipate that AI will have a detrimental impact on society within the next two decades. Conversely, only 16% foresee a beneficial influence, while 31% anticipate both positive and negative outcomes, with 13% unsure. Preferences differ based on whether the scope is broader society or individuals’ personal lives. While 40% believe AI will negatively impact society, a smaller percentage (31%) expect the same for their personal lives, with 23% anticipating a positive impact.
About 70% of American adults think that AI will decrease the security of personal information, with only 3% believing it will enhance security. Additionally, 10% think there will be little impact, and 16% are unsure.
Sixty-three percent of adults believe that AI is progressing too rapidly, with only 2% thinking it is progressing too slowly. Nineteen percent feel it is advancing at an appropriate speed, while 16% are uncertain.
In a recent Pew Research Center poll, a higher number of adults showed worry rather than enthusiasm towards the increasing integration of AI in everyday activities. This trend has persisted despite the rise in chatbot usage.
Young adults use the most and have the most uncertainty.
Young adults are more inclined to use chatbot tools compared to older adults, with 66% of adults aged 18 to 29 utilizing AI chatbots. In contrast, only 23% of adults 65 and older use these tools. Additionally, adults under 50 report using chatbots more often for various purposes such as information searches, work, and entertainment.
Younger adults are more concerned about AI compared to older age groups. Nearly half of adults aged 18 to 29 believe that AI will have a detrimental impact on society within the next two decades, whereas fewer adults aged 30 to 49 and 50 and older share this sentiment. They also anticipate a negative effect on their personal lives, with a higher percentage of younger adults expressing this concern than older age groups.
Twenty-five percent of young adults believe chatbots enhance their creativity, while 20% think these tools hinder it. Older adults are generally more optimistic about this issue.
Half of the nation continues to refrain from utilizing chatbots.
Roughly 50% of American adults do not utilize AI chatbots, with the majority of these individuals having no immediate plans to begin using them. Of those who do not use chatbots, 67% express little to no interest in using one within the next year, while only 5% indicate a high likelihood of doing so.
The survey inquired about reasons why non-chatbot users choose not to use them. The main reasons include lack of interest, concerns about personal information usage, lack of trust in accuracy, uncertainty about usage, and fear of judgment.
Around 75% of individuals aged 65 and above do not use AI chatbots, while approximately 33% of adults under 30 refrain from using them.
Trust in Regulation and Businesses
Only a small percentage of American adults believe that the U.S. government will effectively regulate AI, with 67% showing little to no confidence in its ability to do so, an increase from 62% in 2024.
Democrats are now less confident than Republicans in the government’s capability to regulate AI effectively, with 74% of Democrats expressing little to no confidence compared to 61% of Republicans. This marks a shift from 2024 when Republicans were more skeptical. According to Pew, Democrats’ lack of confidence in government regulation increased by 20 percentage points, whereas Republicans’ lack of confidence decreased from 70% to 61%.
About 60% of American adults have little to no confidence in U.S. companies when it comes to developing and using AI responsibly.
Why This is Important
Six out of ten American adults read AI summaries in search results, and four out of ten utilize chatbots for information retrieval, indicating a growing reliance on AI-generated responses prior to accessing websites. This trend highlights the increasing role of AI in the search and exploration journey for individuals.
Moving forward, a significant aspect to watch is the disparity between individuals’ doubt and their actions regarding the use of AI tools. The gap between people’s concerns about AI potentially harming society, compromising data security, or advancing too rapidly, and their actual utilization of these tools is uncertain as platforms develop and gain more users.
Planning for the future
Since the Pew Research Center conducted the survey in February, Google has extended AI Mode features, such as Personal Intelligence, to almost 200 countries and regions. It remains to be seen if this ongoing expansion will impact the correlation between adoption rates and trust as we move through the year.
Featured Image: Robin Hann/Shutterstock
