September Verasight National Survey
Survey results from a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 18+.
Key Takeaways
AI Agent Familiarity
"AI agents" are artificial intelligence programs that can carry out tasks on their own — booking travel, making purchases, sending messages — without a person approving each step. Which best describes you?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I have used an AI agent | 27% | 33% | 29% | 23% |
| I know what they are, but have not used one | 49% | 41% | 45% | 55% |
| I have heard the term, but am not sure what it means | 14% | 13% | 13% | 13% |
| I have never heard of them | 9% | 12% | 13% | 8% |
Responsibility for an Agent Breach
Suppose a company uses an AI agent built by an outside technology company, and criminals exploit that agent to steal customers' personal information. How much responsibility, if any, does each of the following bear?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
The company that was using the AI agent
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A great deal | 54% | 53% | 66% | 72% |
| Some | 26% | 27% | 21% | 19% |
| Not much | 12% | 8% | 6% | 4% |
| None at all | 3% | 5% | 3% | 2% |
| Not sure | 6% | 7% | 3% | 4% |
The technology company that built the AI agent
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A great deal | 56% | 52% | 63% | 70% |
| Some | 27% | 26% | 22% | 21% |
| Not much | 7% | 10% | 8% | 5% |
| None at all | 3% | 4% | 4% | 2% |
| Not sure | 7% | 8% | 4% | 3% |
The criminals who carried out the attack
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A great deal | 73% | 76% | 84% | 92% |
| Some | 11% | 8% | 5% | 2% |
| Not much | 6% | 7% | 5% | 2% |
| None at all | 3% | 3% | 3% | 1% |
| Not sure | 6% | 7% | 4% | 3% |
Government regulators, for not setting clearer rules
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A great deal | 45% | 41% | 51% | 54% |
| Some | 32% | 30% | 30% | 31% |
| Not much | 13% | 14% | 11% | 8% |
| None at all | 5% | 7% | 5% | 4% |
| Not sure | 5% | 8% | 4% | 3% |
Interest in Learning AI Tools
How interested are you, if at all, in learning more about how to use AI tools?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Very interested | 15% | 29% | 21% | 16% |
| Somewhat interested | 32% | 31% | 32% | 37% |
| Not too interested | 25% | 20% | 24% | 25% |
| Not at all interested | 28% | 20% | 22% | 21% |
Ways People Would Learn AI Tools
Which of these would you be willing to do to learn more about using AI tools? Select all that apply.
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watch a short video online, like on YouTube or TikTok | 40% | 44% | 40% | 36% |
| Take a free online or in-person class | 31% | 40% | 44% | 43% |
| Read articles or a book about it | 30% | 31% | 35% | 34% |
| Learn from a friend or family member | 29% | 29% | 35% | 35% |
| Ask an AI tool to teach you directly | 29% | 36% | 31% | 25% |
| Take training offered by my employer | 28% | 32% | 31% | 13% |
| None of these — I'm not interested | 32% | 28% | 28% | 31% |
Percent selecting each option within the column; columns do not sum to 100.
Most Likely Way to Learn AI Tools
And which one are you most likely to actually do?
(N = 799; asked of respondents who selected two or more options in Q4)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watch a short video online, like on YouTube or TikTok | 31% | 29% | 31% | 29% |
| Take a free online or in-person class | 13% | 24% | 22% | 20% |
| Ask an AI tool to teach you directly | 21% | 21% | 12% | 14% |
| Learn from a friend or family member | 12% | 5% | 12% | 18% |
| Take training offered by my employer | 10% | 13% | 13% | 7% |
| Read articles or a book about it | 13% | 7% | 11% | 12% |
Awareness of AI Slowdown Calls
How much, if anything, have you heard or read about AI company executives recently saying the industry should slow down how fast it develops artificial intelligence?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A lot | 39% | 35% | 42% | 49% |
| A little | 39% | 41% | 36% | 32% |
| Nothing at all | 22% | 24% | 22% | 19% |
AI Harm vs. Falling Behind China
Which of these worries you more about artificial intelligence — AI could be developed too quickly and cause serious harm, or the United States could fall behind China in developing AI?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI could be developed too quickly and cause serious harm | 58% | 46% | 41% | 37% |
| The United States could fall behind China in developing AI | 9% | 13% | 9% | 10% |
| Both worry me equally | 23% | 31% | 43% | 46% |
| Neither worries me | 10% | 10% | 7% | 6% |
Who Should Slow AI, If Anyone
Some AI company executives have recently said the industry should slow down. Who should be responsible for slowing down the pace of AI development?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The companies themselves | 52% | 53% | 59% | 56% |
| The government | 40% | 38% | 33% | 36% |
| The pace should not slow down | 8% | 9% | 8% | 7% |
Preferred Pace of AI Development
Thinking about how fast artificial intelligence is being developed, which comes closest to your view?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Development should slow down | 60% | 57% | 67% | 69% |
| Development should continue at about the current pace | 21% | 21% | 15% | 15% |
| Development should speed up | 7% | 4% | 5% | 2% |
| Not sure | 12% | 17% | 12% | 13% |
Speed vs. Safety in AI Tools
Suppose two AI companies offer similar tools. One develops new features quickly. The other develops more slowly and spends more time on safety testing, so its tools are somewhat less advanced. Which would you choose?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The company that develops quickly, with more advanced tools | 17% | 15% | 9% | 6% |
| The company that develops slowly, with more safety testing | 68% | 68% | 77% | 81% |
| Not sure | 15% | 17% | 14% | 13% |
AI vs. Nuclear Weapons Risk
Thinking about the long term, which do you think poses a greater risk to humanity — AI or nuclear weapons?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI | 27% | 24% | 23% | 21% |
| Nuclear weapons | 25% | 23% | 19% | 24% |
| Both about equally | 44% | 48% | 54% | 54% |
| Neither poses a serious risk | 4% | 5% | 4% | 1% |
Awareness of the Meta Settlement
How much, if anything, have you heard or read about the recent agreement between Meta and a group of state attorneys general over how Facebook and Instagram affect children?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A lot | 20% | 20% | 17% | 17% |
| A little | 55% | 50% | 56% | 61% |
| Nothing at all | 24% | 30% | 28% | 22% |
Expected Impact on Teen Safety
As part of the agreement, Meta must make several changes to Facebook and Instagram for users under 18, and pay up to $17 billion to the states over ten years. How much difference, if any, do you think this will make to the safety of teenagers using these apps?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A great deal | 11% | 8% | 6% | 6% |
| Some | 39% | 29% | 25% | 34% |
| Not much | 32% | 39% | 44% | 43% |
| None at all | 14% | 16% | 18% | 11% |
| Not sure | 4% | 8% | 7% | 6% |
$17B Penalty: Dollar Figure Only
Thinking about the $17 billion Meta agreed to pay over ten years, do you think that penalty…
(N = 762; asked of a random half of respondents; the other half saw Q15)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Went too far | 6% | 8% | 10% | 12% |
| Was about right | 38% | 31% | 28% | 22% |
| Did not go far enough | 39% | 37% | 41% | 38% |
| Not sure | 18% | 24% | 21% | 28% |
$17B Penalty: With Revenue Context
Thinking about the $17 billion Meta agreed to pay over ten years — roughly 1% of the company's annual revenue — do you think that penalty…
(N = 738; asked of the other random half of respondents; see Q14)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Went too far | 7% | 10% | 6% |
| Was about right | 21% | 17% | 17% |
| Did not go far enough | 57% | 51% | 60% |
| Not sure | 15% | 23% | 16% |
Not shown: 18-29 (fewer than 100 respondents).
Favor/Oppose Settlement Remedies
The agreement requires Meta to make these changes for users under 18. Do you favor or oppose each one?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
Limiting use to two hours a day by default
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 33% | 44% | 41% | 47% |
| Somewhat favor | 33% | 26% | 31% | 32% |
| Somewhat oppose | 13% | 11% | 13% | 8% |
| Strongly oppose | 10% | 7% | 6% | 4% |
| Not sure | 11% | 11% | 9% | 8% |
Blocking the apps between midnight and 6 a.m.
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 39% | 49% | 54% | 65% |
| Somewhat favor | 29% | 24% | 25% | 19% |
| Somewhat oppose | 14% | 10% | 9% | 4% |
| Strongly oppose | 7% | 7% | 3% | 4% |
| Not sure | 10% | 10% | 8% | 8% |
Removing "like" counts from posts by users under 18
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 39% | 43% | 43% | 46% |
| Somewhat favor | 25% | 26% | 28% | 28% |
| Somewhat oppose | 13% | 10% | 10% | 6% |
| Strongly oppose | 7% | 6% | 4% | 3% |
| Not sure | 15% | 16% | 15% | 17% |
Offering a version of the feed that is not personalized by an algorithm
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 42% | 48% | 49% | 47% |
| Somewhat favor | 30% | 25% | 27% | 26% |
| Somewhat oppose | 8% | 8% | 6% | 4% |
| Strongly oppose | 5% | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| Not sure | 15% | 16% | 15% | 21% |
Banning filters that change how a user's face looks
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 40% | 45% | 53% | 54% |
| Somewhat favor | 26% | 26% | 21% | 22% |
| Somewhat oppose | 12% | 9% | 9% | 8% |
| Strongly oppose | 8% | 6% | 5% | 4% |
| Not sure | 15% | 13% | 11% | 12% |
Extending Rules to Other Platforms
Do you think other social media companies — like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube — should have to make these same changes for their users under 18?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, they should be required to | 48% | 65% | 74% | 78% |
| They should be encouraged to, but not required | 34% | 22% | 15% | 14% |
| No, they should not have to | 8% | 4% | 5% | 3% |
| Not sure | 10% | 9% | 6% | 4% |
Data Center Proximity
As far as you know, is there a large data center — a building full of computers that powers things like cloud storage and artificial intelligence — currently operating or planned within about 10 miles of your home?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, one is already operating | 11% | 11% | 8% | 7% |
| Yes, one is planned or proposed | 24% | 20% | 18% | 18% |
| No | 40% | 37% | 37% | 46% |
| Not sure | 25% | 31% | 36% | 28% |
Favor/Oppose a Nearby Data Center
Would you favor or oppose a large data center being built within 10 miles of your home?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 3% | 5% | 5% | 6% |
| Somewhat favor | 17% | 16% | 18% | 19% |
| Somewhat oppose | 20% | 24% | 26% | 26% |
| Strongly oppose | 59% | 55% | 51% | 48% |
Data Center With a $100M Investment
Now suppose the company building that data center agreed to invest about $100 million in your community over ten years. To what extent would you favor or oppose the data center being built within 10 miles of your home if the money were used in each of these ways?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
Paid to your local government to use however they wish
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 7% | 8% | 6% | 7% |
| Somewhat favor | 16% | 19% | 15% | 23% |
| Somewhat oppose | 30% | 24% | 26% | 29% |
| Strongly oppose | 46% | 50% | 53% | 40% |
$50,000 bonus for all public school teachers
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 22% | 23% | 21% | 20% |
| Somewhat favor | 40% | 35% | 29% | 30% |
| Somewhat oppose | 16% | 17% | 19% | 22% |
| Strongly oppose | 22% | 25% | 30% | 29% |
Paid to local police and fire departments
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 10% | 18% | 20% | 26% |
| Somewhat favor | 32% | 30% | 38% | 38% |
| Somewhat oppose | 27% | 21% | 17% | 16% |
| Strongly oppose | 31% | 30% | 25% | 20% |
Paid directly to residents, about $5,000 per household
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 31% | 39% | 40% | 34% |
| Somewhat favor | 35% | 26% | 28% | 31% |
| Somewhat oppose | 13% | 12% | 11% | 14% |
| Strongly oppose | 21% | 22% | 21% | 22% |
Used to lower residents' electricity bills
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly favor | 34% | 38% | 41% | 45% |
| Somewhat favor | 31% | 30% | 29% | 30% |
| Somewhat oppose | 14% | 11% | 12% | 9% |
| Strongly oppose | 20% | 21% | 18% | 16% |
Willingness to Sell Property
Suppose you owned property — for example, a house/apartment, a building, or land — and a company that builds data centers offered you double what the property is worth. Would you sell?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definitely would sell | 16% | 19% | 23% | 22% |
| Probably would sell | 33% | 35% | 34% | 36% |
| Probably would not sell | 25% | 22% | 21% | 24% |
| Definitely would not sell | 26% | 23% | 22% | 18% |
Community Say on a Neighbor’s Sale
Now suppose someone near you received that offer and wanted to sell their property to a data center company. Which comes closest to your view?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| It is entirely their decision — neighbors should have no say | 42% | 46% | 48% | 48% |
| The local community should be able to block the sale if most people object | 58% | 54% | 52% | 52% |
Reported Effect of $5,000 Promise
President Trump has promised to send every adult American citizen $5,000 if Republicans keep control of both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections. Does this promise make you more or less likely to vote for a Republican in the midterm elections?
(N = 1,500)Demographic Crosstabs
| Response | 18-29 | 30-49 | 50-64 | 65+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| More likely | 19% | 19% | 13% | 10% |
| Less likely | 41% | 29% | 30% | 32% |
| No change | 39% | 52% | 57% | 58% |
Survey Details
Verasight collected data for this project from September 16-September 21, 2026. The sample consists of 1,500 United States adults.
The sampling criteria for this survey were:
- US resident
- Adult (age 18+)
The selection criteria for the final sample were:
- Passed all data quality assurance checks, outlined below
The data are weighted to match the August 2026 Current Population Survey on age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status, as well as to a running three-year average of partisanship distributions from the Pew Research Center NPORS benchmarking surveys and population benchmarks of 2024 vote. The margin of sampling error, which accounts for the design effect and is calculated using the classical random sampling formula, is +/- 2.6%.
All respondents were recruited via email from the Verasight Community, which is composed of individuals recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting. All Verasight community members are verified via multi-step authentication, including providing an SMS response from a mobile phone registered with a major U.S. carrier (e.g., no VOIP or internet phones) as well as within-survey technology, including verifying the absence of non-human responses with technologies such as Google reCAPTCHA v3. Those who exhibit low-quality response behaviors over time, such as straight-lining or speeding, are also removed and prohibited from further participation in the community. Verasight Community members receive points for taking surveys that can be redeemed for Venmo or PayPal payments, gift cards, or charitable donations. Respondents are never routed from one survey to another and receive compensation for every invited survey, so there is never an incentive to respond strategically to survey qualification screener questions.
To further ensure data quality, the Verasight data team implements a number of post-data collection quality assurance procedures, including confirming that all responses correspond with U.S. IP addresses, confirming no duplicate respondents, verifying the absence of non-human responses, and removing any respondents who failed in-survey attention and/or straight-lining checks. The Verasight data team also reviewed open-ended items to ensure no responses contained nonsensical, inappropriate, or non-sequitur text. Respondents that completed the survey in less than 30% of the median completion time were removed.
Unmeasured error in this or any other survey may exist. Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.
Reading the Crosstabs
Columns with fewer than 100 respondents are not shown. This report has 7 such columns; each affected table lists them in a “Not shown” note beneath it.
Crosstab figures are weighted column percentages. Respondents with no value on a banner variable are left out of that banner’s columns. Subgroup estimates carry wider margins of error than the full sample’s ±2.6 percentage points.
Percentages are rounded to whole numbers and may not sum to 100. Figures in the Key Takeaways and the Total favor/oppose columns of the matrix charts are computed from unrounded values, so a figure can differ from the sum of the displayed rows by one point.