Results from the first Anthropic Public Record
Summary
The first Anthropic Public Record survey, fielded in November-December 2025 with nearly 52,000 Americans, details public sentiment on AI. Key findings show 48% hope AI cures diseases, while 64% fear job loss, 56% cognitive dependency, and 52% misinformation. Over 70% support bipartisan government regulation, focusing on privacy (56%), child safety (52%), and liability for harm (49%). Americans prioritize holding AI companies legally liable (47%) and safety over growth (44%) for beneficial AI development. Only 15% trust AI companies' decisions. Integrated AI users (6% of Americans) are less worried about job loss (54% vs 70% for non-users) and dependency (46% vs 62%), but still largely support government oversight.
Key takeaway
For policymakers considering AI governance frameworks, this data underscores a strong, bipartisan public mandate for regulation. You should prioritize legislation addressing privacy, child safety, and legal liability for AI-related harms, as these are top public concerns. Additionally, foster initiatives that promote AI literacy and skill development to mitigate widespread job displacement fears, especially among non-users, and rebuild public trust in AI development.
Key insights
Americans broadly desire AI's benefits but fear job loss and dependency, demanding government regulation and company accountability due to low trust.
Principles
- Public consensus on AI concerns transcends typical divides.
- Hands-on AI experience correlates with reduced job loss fear.
- Trust in AI companies is significantly low across the public.
Method
Nationally representative online survey of 51,993 Americans (age 16+) in Nov-Dec 2025, sourced from YouGov, weighted to US Census benchmarks, with state-level quotas.
In practice
- Address job displacement fears through skill development.
- Prioritize AI safety and legal liability for harm.
- Increase transparency to build public trust.
Topics
- AI Public Opinion
- AI Regulation
- Job Displacement
- Cognitive Dependency
- AI Governance
- Public Trust
Best for: Executive, CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Policy Maker, AI Ethicist, General Interest
Related on AIssential
Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Anthropic News.