Thought Leadership AI 2026

What do public policy professionals in the U.S. and Europe think about AI?

Public Policy Professionals' Attitudes on AI 2026

Attitudes on AI 2026

The tipping point is here.

The 2026 edition of Povaddo’s flagship AI thought leadership survey reveals there is growing alarm among public policy experts — the lawmakers, staffers, advocates, and analysts who help shape the rules governing society — across the United States and Europe over AI’s impact on the labor market, democracy, and public safety, alongside near-universal agreement that government regulation of AI must be increased.

Keep scrolling to read the key findings from the survey.

The complete 38-page report is also available to purchase for $500 and includes the survey results for more than 35 questions, including:

Trust in individual legacy and emerging tech companies to develop and deploy AI responsibly
Perceptions of current regulatory approaches to AI
Current and anticipated societal impact of AI
Opinions on data centers and potential regulatory approaches

Purchase The Full Report
(Purchase on desktop platform - mobile payments coming soon)

One-time purchase. Immediate access.

Perceptions of AI

Policy professionals feel AI is moving in the right direction, and the benefits outweigh the risks.

Regulating AI

Policy professionals say governments around the world are falling short on addressing the negative impacts of AI.

61% of all policy professionals disagree with this statement:“Governments around the world are adequately taking into consideration the negative impacts of this technology as they develop laws and regulations for AI.”

Regulating AI

There is a clear consensus among policy professionals that AI needs more government regulation.

…agree that AI requires increased government regulation.

Regulating AI

Trust in the U.S. government is notably lower than the EU when it comes to the responsible use and regulation of AI.

Regulating AI

Trust in the U.S. government is notably lower than the EU when it comes to AI.

Regulating AI

There is a major disparity between how U.S. & European policy professionals view their governments' handling of public policies and regulations regarding AI.

…approve of the way their government is handling public policies and regulations regarding AI.

Regulating AI

The U.S. and EU are seen as having different priorities when it comes to the development and commercialization of AI.

Regulating AI

Trust in the U.S. government is notably lower than the EU when it comes to AI.

Societal Impact of AI

Policy professionals in the U.S. are much more concerned than their European counterparts that AI is currently hurting the labor market.

Societal Impact of AI

Although advancements in AI are seen as likely to help the economy, they’re also viewed as more likely to hurt the labor market.

Regulating AI

Trust in the U.S. government is notably lower than the EU when it comes to AI.

Societal Impact of AI

In Europe, policy professionals are more concerned about how advances in AI will hurt the labor market in the future than they are about current negative impacts in their country.

Regulating AI

On both sides of the Atlantic, there is clear agreement that concern is warranted over AI automating certain jobs.

…believe fears that AI will completely or mostly automate certain jobs - and make workers irrelevant or redundant - are justified.

Societal Impact of AI

U.S. policy professionals are more likely than those in Europe to see AI as a bigger contributor to job loss than immigrant workers, though a plurality in both regions hold this view.

…believe AI is more likely to cause job losses in their country than immigrant workers.

Risks & Crisis Potential of AI

Policy professionals believe an AI-driven misinformation crisis is likely to unfold in the coming years.

Risks & Crisis Potential of AI

AI-fueled misinformation is expected to have damaging effects across society, including on national elections and voting outcomes.

“U.S. and EU policy professionals have clear differences in opinions about how their governments are handling and approaching AI,” says William Stewart, President & Founder of Povaddo. “There is more unease in the U.S. and heightened concerns around the impact AI is having on various aspects of society.”

Risks & Crisis Potential of AI

U.S. policy professionals are more likely than their European counterparts to agree that AI poses a serious existential threat to the human race.

Risks & Crisis Potential of AI

Policy professionals in the U.S. are more likely to think advancements in AI will hurt global security and stability than policy professionals in Europe.

…think that advancements in AI will hurt global security and stability.

Interested in the full report?

Purchase The Full Report - $500
(Purchase on desktop platform - mobile payments coming soon)

One-time purchase. Immediate access.

About this Study

In 2024, Povaddo conducted what we believe to be the first global survey of policy professionals examining attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI). While AI has been widely studied among the general public and business leaders, this research was designed to focus specifically on the perspectives of those directly involved in shaping public policy. As the global conversation around AI has accelerated—and grown more complex—we returned to the field with a new iteration of our thought leadership survey. The 2026 edition focuses specifically on perspectives in the United States and Europe, where debates over regulation, innovation, and societal impact are most actively unfolding.

For this wave, we surveyed 301 policy professionals sourced from the Povaddo Panel, including 151 who develop and shape public policy in the United States and 150 across Europe. Policy professionals are defined as individuals who help shape, influence, or analyze public policy as part of their daily work.

For the full findings or general inquiries, please email info@povaddo.com.

About Povaddo

Povaddo is a research firm that specializes in helping our clients develop better strategies and stronger communications to address complex issues and challenges that are facing their organizations.

For over 15 years, Povaddo has completed north of 1,000 studies – surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews – across more than 100 countries and six continents. During this time, Povaddo has developed a reputation as one of the foremost opinion research firms capable of handling projects all over the world.

Learn more about Povaddo

For business inquiries, please contact us at: info@povaddo.com