Report · AI & Tech

A temporary pause on more powerful AI systems has broad support

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,509 U.S. adults conducted July 30 to Aug. 4, 2025, 67% of Americans favored a temporary pause on developing AI systems that can outperform humans at most tasks until stronger regulations are in place.

Another 16% opposed the idea, while 17% were not sure.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

67% of Americans favored a temporary pause on developing more powerful AI systems.

Some experts have proposed a temporary pause on developing AI systems that can outperform humans at most tasks until stronger regulations are in place. Do you support or oppose this idea?

  • Strongly favor 36.1%
  • Somewhat favor 30.6%
  • Not sure 16.9%
  • Somewhat oppose 11.3%
  • Strongly oppose 5.0%

2025 · base n 1,509 · +/- 3.1%

AI Adoption Survey July 2025

Source report pending

Methodology

Source report pending
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-07-30 → 2025-08-04
Base (unweighted)
1,509
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
AI Adoption Survey July 2025

Source

  • 01
    Source report pending

Citation

AI Adoption Survey July 2025, fielded July 30-August 4, 2025, N=1,509 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.1%.

Source report pending

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.