By Mike Pepi
Publication Date: 2026-04-30 14:00:00
AAs the US midterm elections approach, voters are voicing their concerns about AI. According to an NBC News poll of registered voters, 57% believe the risks of AI outweigh the benefits. An emerging political cohort is particularly worried. A Pew Research survey found that 61% of adults under 30 say more AI in society will affect people’s creative thinking skills. A recent Quinnipiac poll found that 74% of Americans believe the government is not doing enough to regulate AI.
Can you blame them? The CEOs of the largest AI companies chose a strange tactic: they wanted to scare their potential users into submission. “Use it or be left behind” is the narrative, underpinned by gleeful proclamations that AI will destroy entire industries and cultural institutions.
The AI critics are right: so far, the costs of disrupting AI are not worth the benefits. A recent study by Goldman Sachs showed that the impact of AI on productivity is equivalent to a rounding error. It has become more known for ushering in a new kind of…
