A national survey from Bryson Gillette Insights tracking who Americans think holds power and who they trust to use it
OCTOBER RELEASE: What Americans Think about superintelligent ai
Americans concerned about human control of ai, data centers and corporate influence
Explore findings from a recurring national survey of registered voters, with analysis that puts the numbers in context.
%
Worry about losing control over AI. Losing a job to AI concerns 58%, but that is outpaced by broader fears about control (83%), bad actors using AI to develop weapons of mass destruction (81%), and AI threatening human existence (73%)
%
Say large corporations have real influence in Washington, but just 34% say they trust them. For technology and AI companies, 66% say they have real influence, while 38% say they trust them
%
Oppose building a new AI data center in their community. Majorities cite strain on the electrical grid and rising electricity bills (86% concerned) and water use for cooling the servers (82%) as top concerns
Voters are more focused on AI's broader impact on society and those concerns are reasonable. The companies that address them openly and in good faith will be best positioned to earn public confidence.
Analysis
Power Shift
October 15, 2026
Power Shift: Trust in Institutions and the 2026 Midterms
Power Shift
October 15, 2026
Power Shift: Superintelligence, Data Centers, and AI’s Impact on Job Security
Congress, Power Shift
October 12, 2026
Power Shift: Congress, Trust and the 2026 Midterms
Work with us · Bryson Gillette Power Shift Omnibus Survey
About Power Shift
Power Shift is Bryson Gillette’s recurring national survey of voters. Every other month, BG Insights asks Americans who they think holds power, who they trust, and what they want from the institutions that shape their lives.
We pair rigorous polling with a team that has worked inside campaigns, Congress, government, and advocacy, so every release comes with context, not just numbers.
Bryson Gillette Insights conducted an online survey of 1,000 U.S. registered voters nationwide. Respondents were recruited via online panel.
The survey was fielded September 21-25, 2026. The sample was weighted to accurately represent the national electorate.
The margin of error for a survey of 1,000 interviews is ±3.1% at the 95% confidence level. The margin of error is higher for subsamples.
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For companies across sectors, these findings offer a clearer picture of what matters to people and where trust still needs to be built. They can use that insight to sharpen their messaging and make more informed decisions about how to reach people amid the competing demands of AI, debates over data center construction and the midterm elections.
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