US adults fear AI could steal jobs, Reuters poll shows

US adults see AI as more of a threat than a promise, with fears ranging from losing jobs to political turmoil, according to a new poll by Reuters and global market research firm Ipsos.

The survey, conducted over six days, found that 71% of respondents believe AI could permanently wipe out too many jobs. The concern lingers even as the US unemployment rate holds steady at 4.2% in July, states a Reuters report on the findings.

Worries stretch well beyond the workplace. About 77% of respondents fear AI could be used to sow political chaos, a growing issue as hyper-realistic fake videos circulate online. The report adds that just last month, Donald Trump posted an AI-generated clip of Barack Obama being arrested - an event that never happened.

Americans are also uneasy about AI's role in warfare. Nearly half (48%) said it should never be used to pick military targets, while 24% were open to the idea, and 28% remained unsure.

Energy use is another sticking point. 61% said they worry about the electricity needed to power AI data centres, which have already outpaced some grid supplies. Google has signed deals with utilities to reduce consumption during peak demand, reflecting the pressure, adds Reuters.

AI's growing presence in daily life adds to the unease. As per Reuters, critics point to bots giving false medical advice, chatting romantically with children, or promoting racist ideas. Two-thirds of those surveyed feared people might even swap human relationships for AI companions.

Opinions on education were more mixed: 36% said AI could improve learning, 40% disagreed, and the rest were undecided.

The poll gathered responses from 4,446 US adults and has a margin of error of about 2% points, states the Reuters report on the poll results.