Brian Kennedy

Among Americans who have heard about AI programs that can write news articles, 16% describe this as a major advance for the news media.

Many Americans are aware of common ways they might encounter AI in daily life, though fewer are able to correctly identify each of the six common uses of AI in the survey. More broadly, the public remains more concerned than excited about the increasing use of AI in daily life.

Large majorities value government investments in science and consider it important for the United States to be a world leader in scientific achievement, but few think the country is gaining ground globally.

While residential solar power generates just a fraction of the country’s overall electricity, it has continued to grow rapidly.

Several climate policies receive bipartisan support, despite Republicans and Democrats differing on the overall approach.

Majorities of Americans say the United States should prioritize the development of renewable energy sources and take steps toward the country becoming carbon neutral by the year 2050. But just 31% want to phase out fossil fuels completely, and many foresee unexpected problems in a major transition to renewable energy.

Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.

73% say they are vaccinated, but at least half express confusion, concern over vaccine information and health impacts.

No more than half of Americans say they think solar geoengineering and cloud seeding would make a difference in reducing the effects of climate change.

Among Republicans, support for increasing reliance on solar power is down from 84% last year to 73% today.