# Americans who use AI for mental health divide over legal rights for advanced AI

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/ai/americans-are-divided-over-legal-rights-for-advanced-ai/

> Indexed question in AI & Tech.

## Reading

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

Which statement is closest to your view?

Americans who use AI for mental health divide over legal rights for advanced AI.

- Advanced AI should have limited rights: 38.0%
- AI should not have legal rights at all: 34.3%
- Not sure: 19.7%
- Advanced AI should eventually have human-like rights: 8.0%

## 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: 2025-09-03 → 2025-09-08
- 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

## Source

- Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025#legal-rights-for-ai](https://reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025#legal-rights-for-ai)

## Citation

AI Adoption Survey August 2025, fielded September 3-8, 2025, N=353 United States adults, +/- 6.8%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025#legal-rights-for-ai](https://reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025#legal-rights-for-ai)