Polling Finds Broad Support for Slowing AI, Nate Silver Argues Regulation May Advance

Summary

Nate Silver’s newsletter examines whether a bipartisan “supermajority” of Americans wants to slow artificial intelligence and support stronger regulation. Citing Politico polling, he says 63 percent of Americans see at least a moderate risk that AI could destroy humanity, compared with 22 percent who see no or only a very small risk. The partisan gap is limited: the figures are 61-29 among Trump voters and 70-21 among Harris voters. A separate YouGov poll found that about two-thirds of Americans think AI is advancing too quickly, while only 2 percent think it is moving too slowly; Republicans also formed a majority in the “too quickly” camp. Silver lists concerns ranging from job losses, weakened human or democratic agency, education, bias and intellectual property to environmental, cybersecurity and national-security risks. He also notes countervailing support from pro-growth sentiment, anxiety about China’s technological position, trust in President Trump among some voters, and the practical popularity of consumer AI products. In his view, the coalition is unstable because AI skeptics and Trump supporters disagree, Silicon Valley’s relationship with Trump has deteriorated, and concern about China remains limited. Even so, he believes the current cross-party consensus makes substantive AI regulation more plausible than conventional wisdom suggests.