Artificial intelligence concerns ranked third and seventh in Chapman University’s 2026 survey of U.S. adults, putting worries about political harm and economic effects among the country’s most-cited fears.
A total of 51.9% of respondents said they were afraid or very afraid that AI could harm the political process, while 49.7% worried about its effect on the economy. These were the only two AI-related entries in the top 10. Political harm ranked ahead of biological warfare, at 48.2%, and terrorist attacks, at 47.3%.
Government corruption remained the leading fear, at 61.1%, and concern that the United States could enter another world war ranked second, at 58%. Corruption has held the top position for 11 consecutive Chapman surveys. Fear of another world war rose from sixth place in 2025 to second this year.
Chapman sociology professor Christopher Bader said the recent conflict with Iran may have influenced concerns about global conflict. Other top-10 fears included a loved one becoming seriously ill (fourth), a loved one dying (fifth), financial collapse (sixth) and government tracking of personal data (eighth). Chapman began the survey in 2014; it was not conducted in 2020.
Concern about political harm was reported by 46% of people who used AI weekly and 55% of those who never used it. “People’s fears about AI are much broader than concerns about automation or job displacement,” said Seth Benzell, a Chapman University assistant professor of business and economics. Chapman said respondents were more hopeful than fearful about abundant clean energy and life-extension medicine.
NORC conducted the English-language online survey from April 7 to 21 through its AmeriSpeak panel. It recorded 1,221 completed interviews and had a margin of error of ±3.79 percentage points.
