First HAPI Poll: Americans Deeply Distrust AI Developers
AI commentator Nina Schick and Nico Jaspers, co-founder of research firm Nira Data, released and analyzed the first HAPI (Human AI Perception Index) poll, one of the most comprehensive surveys to date on American attitudes toward AI. The data shows that public trust in AI and AI developers is generally low, but a large share of people remain undecided—the battle over AI's "minds and hearts" is far from over.
Confirmed
- 48% of respondents hold a negative view of AI, with 29% saying "very negative"—nearly twice as many as those with a positive view; another 28% are still undecided.
- More than two-thirds of Americans do not trust any mainstream AI developer (providers of models and compute); 69% lack confidence that AI companies will act responsibly, while only 13% express confidence.
- Seven in ten Americans want mandatory independent safety audits before new models are released.
- 55% of Americans believe AI will make society worse; only 10% use AI daily.
Why it matters
- The poll reveals a huge gap between the AI industry's narrative and public perception, with the industry's optimistic messaging standing in sharp contrast to public pessimism and distrust.
- The 28% who remain undecided means public attitudes are still highly malleable; to win the "battle for hearts and minds," the AI industry must deliver substantive responses on trust, transparency, and safety commitments.
2026-08-21 ~ 2026-08-21 · 9 related posts
Primary sources
- Poll shows Americans distrust AI developers, but battle for minds remains open — NinaDSchick · 2026-08-21
- [source] HAPI Poll: Americans Distrust AI Developers, but Hearts and Minds Are Still Up for Grabs — NinaDSchick · 2026-08-21
- Poll: Nearly Half of Americans View AI Negatively — NinaDSchick · 2026-08-21
- 55% of Americans think AI will make society worse, only 10% use it daily — NinaDSchick · 2026-08-21
- Poll: over two thirds of Americans trust none of the major AI developers — NinaDSchick · 2026-08-21
- [source] Poll: 64% of Americans oppose local data centers — NinaDSchick · 2026-08-21
3 near-duplicate retellings: NinaDSchick · NinaDSchick · NinaDSchick