Poll shows most US voters believe Trump, Congress neglect AI risks

Most American voters think Washington is asleep at the wheel on artificial intelligence. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 57% of registered voters believe the Trump administration is not taking AI risks seriously enough. Congress fared only slightly better, with 54% saying lawmakers are falling short. What the numbers say The survey ran from September 30 to October 5, 2026, and polled 3,526 registered voters. Its headline finding is that 69% of respondents want stricter government regulation of AI. That support is not confined to one side of the aisle. 80% of Democrats, 61% of Republicans, and 55% of independents backed tougher oversight. Jobs sit at the center of the anxiety. A striking 84% of voters see AI as a threat to American workers. That concern outranked worries about foreign competition, corporate dominance and illegal immigration. The worries get specific. 77% of respondents expressed concern that AI could eliminate jobs in particular professions. Another 76% worry that AI will shrink entry-level opportunities for younger workers. 62% of voters said they worry AI could spiral beyond human control and put humanity’s future at risk. Data centers become a political issue...