A Stanford study found 38% of Americans are excited about AI versus 84% in China, with U.S. trust in AI regulation the lowest globally

A Stanford University Human-Centered AI study found that only 38% of Americans say AI products make them excited, compared to 84% in China and roughly 80% across Southeast Asia, with U.S. trust in government AI regulation at just 31%, the lowest score of any country surveyed. Writing for Rest of World, deputy editor Rina Chandran argues that the gap in enthusiasm and institutional trust has real consequences, as countries like Singapore have seen significantly faster AI adoption, attract more AI researchers per capita, and have built more enabling ecosystems for AI startups and investment. The U.S. resistance to AI is also showing up physically, with data center construction facing community pushback that is delaying buildouts and pushing companies to consider locations in other countries instead.