Wick’s CEO, David Burrell, recently joined 2WAY Tonight with Mark Halperin to discuss findings from a national poll of 1,000 likely voters exploring how Americans are using — and feeling about — artificial intelligence. The segment, which aired as part of a broader conversation on technology and the economy, offered a revealing snapshot of where public sentiment on AI stands today.
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AI Is Already a Part of Daily Life
According to the survey, 68% of voters say they use general-purpose AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude — and seven in ten of those users engage with them daily or several times a week. The data suggests AI has quickly moved from novelty to utility, shaping how Americans write, search, and solve problems day to day.
Optimism Meets Anxiety
Most respondents believe AI will ultimately make life better in America, with a net +7% leaning toward optimism. Yet that optimism is tempered by serious concern.
- Jobs: By a 34-point margin, voters believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates.
- Data privacy: 87% express concern about their personal data being used or misused by AI systems.
- Deepfakes and misinformation: 88% worry about false or misleading AI-generated content.
As Burrell noted, these numbers cut across party lines and demographics — indicating AI anxiety is a bipartisan issue.
Public Wants More Oversight
A striking 65% of voters think the federal government is doing too little to regulate AI. That level of cross-party agreement is rare in polling, highlighting the urgency of public concern. Many respondents also believe AI companies, not consumers, should bear the higher energy costs driven by massive data centers powering AI models — a topic Wick continues to track closely at both national and state levels.
From Policy to Play: Hypothetical AI Scenarios
To lighten the mood, Wick included a few “what-if” questions — like who Americans would choose as commander-in-chief in a man-versus-machine showdown. Results?
- Among recent presidents, Donald Trump and Barack Obama tied.
- Among current political figures, J.D. Vance topped the field over Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, and Ron DeSantis.
- In the “Tech Titans” category, Elon Musk led decisively, while Keanu Reeves’s Neo edged out Arnold Schwarzenegger among fictional AI heroes.
Looking Ahead
Burrell closed the segment by pointing out that public concern about “apocalyptic AI” has eased somewhat since last year — but that job displacement and energy costs will likely become defining issues in the next few years. “By the midterms, we’ll be hearing a lot more about AI in the job market,” he said.
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