Americans want policymakers to focus on AI

Jul 13, 2026 · n = 1,000 · MoE ±3.1%Source report ↗

Core finding

Given seven policy ideas on AI, just 8.7% of adults would ask state or federal policymakers to do nothing. The most-selected ask is taxing AI companies and data centers to fund a dividend paid to all Americans, at 39.9%.

The issue also sits in view. About two-thirds of adults (67.8%) saw AI-related news at least weekly in the past month, and 53.9% are worried about the health effects of AI data centers.

Few would ask policymakers to do nothing

Asked to check any of seven policy or regulatory ideas they would ask state or federal policymakers to adopt on AI, just 8.7% of adults chose doing nothing.

The most-selected idea is taxing AI companies and data centers and redistributing the revenue as a dividend to all Americans, at 39.9%. Free retraining programs for workers (37.3%), easier access to unemployment benefits (36.3%) and removing tax breaks for data centers (35.9%) follow closely.

Topline

39.9% would ask policymakers to tax AI companies and data centers to fund a dividend paid to all Americans; just 8.7% would ask them to do nothing.

Among the following policy or regulatory ideas below, check all of the following that you would ask your state or federal policymakers to adopt to address AI

Tax AI companies and data centers, redistribute those tax revenues using an AI dividend payment to all Americans.

39.9%

Provide free retraining programs for all workers to ensure optimal and safe AI use.

37.3%

Make it easier to access unemployment benefits in the case of job loss or if young workers cannot find a job (e.g., by removing earnings and work experience requirements to qualify).

36.3%

Remove tax breaks or other incentives for data centers.

35.9%

Change student loan repayment to make payment conditional on employment and income.

24.5%

Ban the use of AI. Strictly enforce these regulations.

17.7%

Do nothing.

8.7%

n = 1,000 · Jun 3–8, 2026 · MoE ±3.1%

Shows which AI policy ideas adults would ask policymakers to adopt; 8.7% chose doing nothing, and the tax-and-dividend idea led at 39.9%.

Source report · Verasight PAA Omnibus Survey #2026-051 ↗

Data-center health worries run through the demand

More than half of adults (53.9%) are worried or very worried about the health effects of AI data centers.

Just 12.8% are not worried, and another 10.6% say they are not aware of the health effects of AI data centers.

Topline

53.9% are worried about the health effects of AI data centers, while 12.8% are not worried.

How concerned are you about the health effects of AI data centers?

Very worried

27.0%

Worried

26.9%

Neutral

22.6%

I'm not aware of the health effects of AI data centers

10.6%

Not worried

8.6%

Not worried at all

4.2%

n = 1,000 · Jun 3–8, 2026 · MoE ±3.1%

Shows concern about the health effects of AI data centers; 53.9% are worried and 12.8% are not.

Source report · Verasight PAA Omnibus Survey #2026-051 ↗

AI news is hard to avoid

About two-thirds of adults (67.8%) saw news related to artificial intelligence at least weekly in the past month, including 22.9% who saw it multiple times a day.

Just 12.0% saw no AI-related news at all in the past month.

Methodology

Full methodology →

Mode	Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Population	US adults age 18+
Field dates	Jun 3–8, 2026
Base (unweighted)	1,000
Margin of error	±3.1%
Module	A
Sponsor	Verasight
Weight variable	weight
Weighting targets	age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

Sources

01
Among the following policy or regulatory ideas below, check all of the following that you would ask your state or federal policymakers to adopt to address AI
Shows which AI policy ideas adults would ask policymakers to adopt; 8.7% chose doing nothing, and the tax-and-dividend idea led at 39.9%.
reports.verasight.io/r/paa-2026
02
How often in the past month have you seen news related to artificial intelligence?
Shows how often adults saw AI-related news in the past month; 67.8% saw it at least weekly and 12.0% saw none.
reports.verasight.io/r/paa-2026
03
How concerned are you about the health effects of AI data centers?
Shows concern about the health effects of AI data centers; 53.9% are worried and 12.8% are not.
reports.verasight.io/r/paa-2026

Cite this topic

Verasight PAA Omnibus Survey #2026-051, fielded June 3-8, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/paa-2026#q-12