The Growing Influence of AI: Insights into Public Perception and Usage Across the U.S.

Awareness of artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly grown since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. Since then, a flurry of similar AI tools, such as Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, have emerged, each aimed at familiarizing consumers with the benefits of this technology. Although AI is not a new concept, its current applications are reshaping creative industries, communication, and the economy through automation and enhanced decision-making, influencing how we work, create and connect.  While many are excited by these changes, they raise concerns for others.

To better understand public opinion on AI, ThinkNow conducted a quantitative survey of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.  Our findings revealed both expected and unexpected attitudes toward AI. While widely seen as a useful tool, its adoption varies significantly across age, cultural, and racial/ethnic groups.  Let’s dive in! 

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Familiarity and Use 

Our research shows that AI technology is widely recognized and utilized across generations, except for Boomers. Gen Z is found to be the most familiar with AI, with 49% being very familiar and 38% being familiar. Interestingly, only 13% of Gen Z report being unfamiliar or very unfamiliar with the technology. On the opposite end of the spectrum, only 6% of Boomers report being very familiar with AI, with an overall understanding at 62%. They therefore lag significantly behind Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X. 

However, the extent to which AI is used isn’t equal among generational groups. Cultural/racial background seems to play a role. Our findings show that African Americans report the most familiarity, with 35% feeling “very familiar.” Asians are the next most familiar with the technology, with 33% total reporting strong familiarity. Hispanics (22%) and non-Hispanic whites (22%) report they are “very familiar” with AI. 

These findings highlight the generational and cultural disparities in AI familiarity, suggesting that while AI technology is increasingly recognized, its adoption and understanding vary significantly across different demographic groups. 

Use of AI in Daily Life 

Our findings also find that most respondents perceive that AI is currently being used in three primary areas: scientific research and analysis, daily life applications, and business productivity tools. Twenty-five percent of respondents report that the best use of AI would be in scientific research and analysis. This usage of AI is followed by daily tasks (customer service, scheduling, navigation, etc.) at 24%. Twenty-two percent report that AI should be used in business and productivity, followed by entertainment recommendations or games (18%), and a total of 11% of respondents suggest that they aren’t sure how the technology should be used (5%) or that the presented options do not apply (6%). 

Overall, our findings show that the public's understanding of AI is largely centered on its potential as a valuable tool and supportive resource. Sixty percent of respondents in the total market describe AI as a helpful tool or assistant. This is followed by 39% of respondents describing it as something essential for the future and 36% as an ethical tool for the use of information. A total of 36% of respondents report that AI is a machine that surpasses human intelligence, while 34% report that it’s complex data. Interestingly, only 34% of respondents perceive the integration of AI into daily life as a threat to privacy and only 22% report feeling that AI would threaten their employment prospects.

Thus, while overall perceptions are generally positive, many respondents report concerns about the technology. When compared to other generational cohorts, Boomers are most concerned about the ethical use of AI and the protection of personal information in the face of data collection. This finding is not surprising given this generation’s overall skepticism toward the technology, as we further demonstrate below. 

Acceptance, Education and Regulation

Approximately half of respondents report comfort with AI integration into daily life. Asians and African Americans report the most comfort with daily use of virtual assistants, while non-Hispanic Whites and Gen Z are the least likely to report feeling ‘very comfortable’ interacting with virtual assistants. Generationally, comfort with usage of AI-powered virtual assistants is most prevalent among Millennials (70%), followed by Gen X (52%), Gen Z (51%), and Boomers (39%). 

As AI becomes more ubiquitous, respondents report concerns with education about AI and call for increased government regulation of the powerful technology. Nearly 9-out-of-10 respondents emphasize the importance of AI education. African Americans report the most concern with education, with 62% saying education is “very important,” followed by Asians, with 61% of this demographic reporting the same. Sixty percent of Hispanics and 54% of non-Hispanic Whites say that education about AI is “very important.” The perceived importance of educating the public about AI increases with age. Seventy percent of Boomers think that education on AI is “very important,” followed by Gen X and Millennials. Gen Zers show lower levels of concern about AI education compared to other age groups, likely driven by their self-reported level of familiarity with AI.  

These numbers largely track with interest in regulation of AI. While 57% of Boomers believe AI regulation is very important, this figure drops to 48% among Gen X, followed by Millennials (43%) and Gen Z (39%). Asians are the least likely to consider regulation on AI development as very important, while African Americans are the most. Of all respondents, most identify tech companies (32%) and the government (30%) as the primary entities responsible for AI regulation. These entities are followed by independent bodies (14%) and international organizations, like the UN (9%).

However, 14% of respondents report being uncertain about how to allocate responsibility for regulation. When asked about the future of the technology, responses are almost evenly split. While the majority respond that they are optimistic (54%) or neutral (26%), 20% report feeling pessimistic. Overall, non-Hispanic Whites and Boomers report the most pessimistic outlook, while Hispanics report feeling the most optimistic. 

The Future of AI 

Our research reveals a complex landscape of AI recognition, familiarity and comfort, shaped by generational and cultural factors. While AI continues to grow in influence, the varying levels of adoption highlight the need for targeted education and thoughtful regulation to dispel detractors like conspiracy theories and prevent abuse.  Moving forward, addressing these disparities will be essential to ensure that AI becomes an inclusive and beneficial tool for everyone.

Download the report here.