China intelligent meteorological solution MAZU is seen on display during the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai. Photo: VCG

After two years of improving attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI), Americans are becoming more skeptical of the technology - a trend that could pose longer-term challenges for the country's AI development. A Bentley University-Gallup survey released on Tuesday found that 39 percent of respondents believed that AI does more harm than good, while only 9 percent said that it does more good than harm. The growing unease appears to reflect concerns over employment, with 79 percent of respondents saying they believe that AI will reduce the number of US jobs over the next decade.

The figures reveal a domestic challenge for AI development in the US. Beyond technological capabilities, the issue is also social: concerns over the technology are becoming more pronounced within American society, particularly among younger adults. The survey found that 47 percent of adults aged 18 to 29 now believe that AI does more harm than good, up from 36 percent in 2025 and considerably higher than the 30 percent levels recorded in 2023 and 27 percent in 2024. 

The growing negative perception of AI among younger Americans highlights a domestic issue that could become increasingly important for the development of the technology in the US. If such concerns persist, they could influence public acceptance of AI and the broader environment in which the technology develops.

Against this backdrop, Washington has not placed sufficient emphasis on addressing these domestic concerns, including easing public anxiety and addressing concerns over AI's impact on employment. Instead, it has increasingly viewed AI through a geopolitical lens, seeking to tighten restrictions on AI-related technologies and limit access to certain Chinese AI products. In effect, this risks putting policy attention in the wrong place. The challenges facing US AI development are rooted at home, and they cannot be solved by building higher barriers abroad.

Viewing AI through a geopolitical lens and relying on higher barriers to preserve technological advantages could ultimately narrow the path for development in the US. Advances in AI technology alone do not by themselves create broader economic benefits or employment opportunities. What matters is whether these technologies can be widely adopted across businesses and industries, turning technological progress into broader economic activity and jobs. A broader path for AI development requires more room for open commercial activity, both at home and across borders. The challenge for the US is to keep that path open rather than narrow it through unnecessary barriers.

By contrast, China has continued to make advances in AI technology while placing greater emphasis on applying AI more broadly across the economy, including its integration into manufacturing and services. This wider application allows technological progress to be brought into more areas of economic activity, supporting productivity gains and industrial upgrading. It has also opened space for China to explore how technological advances can create new sources of economic growth and employment.

Similar to previous waves of technological advancement, AI is likely to have a dual impact on employment, displacing some existing roles while creating new ones. In China, demand is already growing for positions such as AI engineers, AI trainers and data analysts, while the application of AI across manufacturing and services is giving rise to new products, business opportunities and forms of work. This does not mean AI comes without employment challenges. Rather, the long-term impact of AI on jobs will be influenced not only by the technology itself, but also by how societies respond to the transition. The priority is to broaden AI adoption and remove unnecessary barriers to its development. As industries expand, new employment opportunities can emerge.

The employment impact of AI is a global challenge that requires broader cooperation. Expanding AI across industries will require an open environment for innovation and commercial activity. Geopolitical barriers designed to protect US technological advantages, by contrast, risk limiting the collaboration needed for AI to generate broader economic value.

The AI era remains in its early stages. For Washington, addressing domestic challenges and fostering a more open environment for AI development would better strengthen the foundations of the industry than allowing geopolitical considerations to drive policy choices and impose unnecessary constraints on the technology.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn