Americans Majority Fear AI Could Destroy Humanity, Prompting Political Push for Regulation

A new POLITICO Poll shows that about two‑thirds of Americans believe advanced artificial intelligence poses at least a moderate risk of destroying humanity. The finding follows a rare joint appeal by leaders of Anthropic and OpenAI, who urged a pause in AI development after Anthropic’s Dario Amodei released an essay warning of existential danger. The poll also reveals that roughly 70 % of voters who supported former Vice President Kamala Harris and 60 % of those who backed President Donald Trump share this view, indicating the concern cuts across party lines. While Trump dismisses the warnings as a hoax and insists AI will drive economic growth, Democrats are already discussing a House select committee on AI and some senators have called for a ban on super‑intelligence. The data suggest lawmakers are racing to decide whether to slow or regulate AI to mitigate perceived risks before the next election cycle.