STONY BROOK, N.Y., June 18, 2025 -- A groundbreaking new study tracking Americans' support for artificial intelligence (AI) development—measured daily over the past year—finds that the public is increasingly supportive of further AI advancement. But not all Americans are on the same page.
Dr. Jason Jeffrey Jones, a sociologist at Stony Brook University, surveyed over 4,000 U.S. adults between April 2024 and April 2025. By collecting data every single day, his study captures short-term fluctuations and long-term trends in public opinion with unprecedented resolution.
"Most surveys take a snapshot—this one's a movie," said Dr. Jones. "And over the past year, that movie has shown a clear upward trend in support for AI."
Key Findings:
- Support for AI is growing: Average agreement with the statement "I support further development of artificial intelligence" increased significantly over the year.
- Political polarization is emerging: Republican support for AI development rose faster than Democratic support.
- Trust and risk matter: People who are more willing to take risks or who generally trust others tend to support AI more.
- Gender divide: Men reported higher support for AI than women, although support increased for both groups.
- Age not a factor: Support for AI showed no significant association with age.
The study also analyzed thousands of open-ended responses. Many described AI as "exciting," "useful," or "futuristic," while others expressed concerns about job loss, misuse, or ethical implications. One respondent wrote, "It helps with my work. It is like a personal friend." Another warned, "We are playing with technology we are too dumb to understand."
A Call for Ongoing Monitoring
Unlike traditional polling, this study used a novel high-frequency design—surveying new respondents every day for a full year. "With daily data, we can see the population react in real time to events that change the AI landscape," said Jones.
The findings arrive at a crucial time, as lawmakers, corporations, and communities consider how to govern AI. "Public opinion should be part of that conversation," Jones added. He hopes others will replicate the model internationally. "This is just the beginning. With more collaborators and funding, we could build a live global dashboard for human sentiment toward transformative technologies."
The study's data—including daily estimates and full text responses—are publicly available at: https://jasonjones.ninja/social-science-dashboard-inator/jjjp-ai-daily-dashboard/
A manuscript containing analysis of the first full year of observations is available at: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.05163
About the Author
Dr. Jason Jeffrey Jones is a computational social scientist who is interested in humans' perceptions of themselves and the developing role of artificial intelligence in society. His expertise includes online experiments, social networks, high-throughput text analysis and machine learning.
For press inquiries, please contact Dr. Jason Jeffrey Jones at 396820@email4pr.com.
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