As major tech companies continue to integrate AI into their systems and work environments, recent survey results reveal a complicated perception of AI among the public. A Fox News National Survey published on Thursday indicates that while positive views of AI are increasing, skepticism still prevails regarding its societal impact.
According to the survey, 43% of respondents believe AI technology is beneficial to society, which marks a five-point increase since April 2023. Urban voters (60%), non-white voters (56%), those under 45 years old (53%), and men (52%) are more inclined to view AI positively. Conversely, rural voters (55%), white voters (51%), individuals aged 45 and older (49%), and women (55%) tend to have a more negative outlook.
Diving deeper, opinions are mixed among Democrats—44% think AI is a good thing while 46% disagree. On the other hand, Republicans are somewhat more optimistic, with 47% viewing it favorably compared to 42% unfavorably. Meanwhile, a majority of independents express a negative stance, with only 34% thinking AI is beneficial versus 58% who find it detrimental.
Interestingly, when participants were asked to describe their initial feelings towards AI, a notable 43% gave a negative response, which is an 8-point rise since 2023. Common sentiments included fear (15%), mistrust (15%), and general negativity (13%). Only 3% associated AI with potential job threats.
On a brighter note, 26% expressed positive feelings towards AI, marking an 8-point increase from earlier this year. Descriptors like innovation (11%), general agility (10%), and cautious optimism (5%) were frequently mentioned.
Others noted their ambivalent feelings about AI (9%), concerns regarding potential misuse (4%), confusion surrounding its applications (2%), calls for regulation (2%), privacy worries (2%), as well as the need for further research (1%).
“Voter perspectives on artificial intelligence reflect a broad spectrum,” remarked Chris Anderson, a Democrat, alongside Republican voter Daron Shaw, who oversees the Fox News survey. They noted that as public familiarity with AI grows, there is a slight uptick in comfort and positive sentiment.
Looking at usage statistics, 27% of respondents report using AI platforms daily (11%) or weekly (16%), while an additional 15% engage with them monthly. However, 57% stated they seldom (19%) or never (38%) use AI tools.
The demographic most engaged with AI includes non-white men (48% using it daily or weekly), Hispanic voters (45%), urban residents (43%), and those under 45 years (40%). Conversely, rural voters (13%), independents (15%), those aged 45 and above (16%), and white individuals without degrees (17%) are the least likely to use it.
Among those who view AI as unfavorable, 77% indicate they rarely use it, contrasting with 47% of those with a positive view who use it regularly.
There’s a noticeable gap in confidence regarding government regulation of AI. Only 38% believe the government is capable of properly managing AI, while 62% disagree. Interestingly, more Republicans (52%) tend to trust the government’s ability to regulate AI compared to Democrats (30%) and independents (25%), although most in all groups claim to understand what AI is.
The Fox News Survey was carried out from June 13-16, 2025, under the direction of Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research, involving 1,003 registered voters selected randomly from national voter files. Interviews were conducted both through live calls and online surveys. The data carries a margin of error of ±3 percentage points, with variances in subgroup sampling.
