AI experts and the general public are diverging sharply in their views of the technology, with anxieties about jobs, healthcare and the economy driving negative sentiment among ordinary people even as those working in the field remain broadly optimistic, according to Stanford University's annual AI industry report.
The findings draw on multiple data sources, including a Pew Research survey published last month showing that only 10% of Americans said they were more excited than concerned about the growing use of AI in daily life, while 56% of AI experts said they believed the technology would have a positive impact on the US over the next 20 years.
The divergence was sharpest on questions about work and the economy: 73% of experts felt positive about AI's impact on how people do their jobs, against 23% of the public, while 69% of experts were optimistic about AI's economic impact compared with just 21% of the general public.
On healthcare, 84% of experts anticipated a largely positive impact over the next 20 years, a view shared by only 44% of the public.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans said they believe AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years.
The report also found the US recorded the lowest public trust in its government to regulate AI responsibly among the countries surveyed, at 31%, compared with 81% in Singapore.
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Domestically, 41% of respondents said federal AI regulation would not go far enough, against 27% who felt it would go too far.
The Stanford report noted one bright spot: the share of people globally who feel AI offers more benefits than drawbacks rose from 55% in 2024 to 59% in 2025, though the proportion describing AI as making them nervous also edged up, from 50% to 52% over the same period.