Americans who use AI for mental health divide over legal rights for advanced AI
Core finding
Among Americans who have used an AI tool for mental-health or emotional support, there is no consensus on whether advanced AI deserves legal standing. In this group, 38% say some very advanced AIs should have limited rights such as protections and obligations, while 34% say no AI should have legal rights regardless of capability, according to a September 2025 Verasight survey.
Relatively few (8%) go further, saying advanced AIs should eventually have rights similar to humans, and 20% are not sure.
Topline distribution
Americans who use AI for mental health divide over legal rights for advanced AI.
Which statement is closest to your view?
n = 353 · Sep 3–8, 2025 · MoE ±6.8%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | United States adults |
| Field dates | Sep 3–8, 2025 |
| Base (unweighted) | 353 |
| Margin of error | ±6.8% |
| Module | AI Adoption Survey August 2025 |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025
Which statement is closest to your view?
Cite this question
AI Adoption Survey August 2025, fielded September 3-8, 2025, N=353 United States adults, +/- 6.8%.