How AI use is spreading while trust trails
Overview
AI use is already broad, but the public is not treating adoption as the same thing as trust.
About 63% of adults say they used AI tools in the past month. At the same time, 50% disagree that tech companies can be trusted to develop AI responsibly, and 60% say they are not confident regulators can keep up with AI rules.
Stacked breakdown
63% have used AI tools in the past month.
Have you used artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your work or personal life at all in the past month?
- Yes
- 62.1%
- No
- 37.9%
AI Adoption Survey August 2025
View source dataRecent AI use is common
About 63% of adults say they have used AI tools in their work or personal life in the past month.
Use is not equally routine, though. The largest frequency groups are split between a few times a week at 22% and never at 22%.
Topline
86% have heard of ChatGPT, and 80% have heard of Google Gemini.
Which of the following AI tools have you heard of?
- ChatGPT 86.3%
- Google Gemini 76.6%
- Microsoft Copilot 60.1%
- Grok 35.7%
- Deepseek 26.1%
- Claude AI 21.6%
AI Adoption Survey August 2025
View source dataChatGPT and Google Gemini lead the tool set
ChatGPT is the most recognized tool at 86%, with Google Gemini close behind at 80%.
Recent use follows the same pattern. About 46% used ChatGPT in the last month, and 40% used Google Gemini. Planned use in a separate wave also starts with those two tools.
Stacked breakdown
50% disagree that tech companies can be trusted on AI responsibility.
I trust tech companies to develop AI responsibly
- Strongly agree
- 7.5%
- Somewhat agree
- 19.5%
- Neutral
- 27.1%
- Somewhat disagree
- 23.0%
- Strongly disagree
- 22.9%
AI Adoption Survey August 2025
View source dataAdditional supporting data from this section.
Stacked breakdown
79% favor independent safety tests for powerful AI models.
Do you favor or oppose requiring AI developers to pass independent safety tests before releasing powerful new models to the public?
- Strongly favor
- 52.6%
- Somewhat favor
- 26.3%
- Somewhat oppose
- 5.0%
- Strongly oppose
- 2.5%
- Not sure
- 13.7%
AI Adoption Survey July 2025
Source report pendingAdoption does not mean institutional trust
Trust is weaker than use. About 50% disagree that tech companies can be trusted to develop AI responsibly, compared with 24% who agree.
Adults still want guardrails: 79% favor independent safety tests before powerful new models are released.
Confidence in regulators is also limited. Roughly 60% are not very confident or not at all confident that regulators can keep pace with AI rules.
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
- 2025-09-03 → 2025-09-08
- Base (unweighted)
- 1,519
- Margin of error
- +/- 3.3%
- Module
- AI Adoption Survey August 2025
- Sponsor
- Verasight
- Weight variable
- weight
- Weighting targets
- age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status
Sources
[6]- 01Have you used artificial intelligence (AI) tools in your work or personal life at all in the past month?Shows that recent AI use is already common.reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025
- 02Roughly how often do you use AI tools?Adds frequency context, including the large group that never uses AI tools.reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025
- 03Which of the following AI tools have you heard of?Shows ChatGPT and Google Gemini leading both awareness and recent use.reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025
- 04Which of the following AI tools have you used in the last month?Shows ChatGPT and Google Gemini leading both awareness and recent use.reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025
- 05Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following: - I trust tech companies to develop AI responsiblyAdds the clearest trust gap around tech-company responsibility.reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025
- 06Source report pendingPairs support for safety testing with lower confidence in regulator capacity.
Citation
AI Adoption Survey August 2025, fielded September 3-8, 2025, N=1,519 United States adults, +/- 3.3%.
https://reports.verasight.io/r/august-ai-survey-2025#usage-of-ai-tools-in-the-past-month