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Why people really hate AI

The Verge / 3/20/2026

💬 OpinionSignals & Early TrendsIdeas & Deep Analysis

Key Points

  • There is a growing disconnect between corporate hype about AI and public sentiment, with people often saying they don't want AI even as companies push its deployment.
  • Surveys from Pew Research and NBC News indicate widespread worry about AI's effects and a view that the downsides outweigh the benefits.
  • The Verge episode analyzes what this trust gap means for how AI is adopted, regulated, and talked about by tech companies.
  • The piece implies that public sentiment could influence product design, policy, and how companies communicate about AI in the future.

There's a big, and increasing, disconnect in culture right now when it comes to artificial intelligence. Companies of all shapes and sizes are hunting for places to deploy AI and can't stop talking about how this new technology will change everything. But when you ask people about AI, the consistent response is: no thanks. Study after study shows people are worried about the effects of AI and simply don't find the technology worth all the downsides.

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On this episode of The Verge …

Read the full story at The Verge.