# Pew 2026: Half of Americans Use Chatbots, Two-Thirds Say AI Too Fast > Source: [https://botensten.com/articles/pew-2026-americans-ai-chatbots](https://botensten.com/articles/pew-2026-americans-ai-chatbots) (canonical) > Author: iCharles News — Botensten, https://botensten.com > Published: 2026-06-18 ## TL;DR Pew Research Center's June 17, 2026 survey of 5,119 U.S. adults found that 49% now use AI chatbots — up from 33% in 2024 — but 63% believe AI is advancing too quickly. Only 16% think AI will have a positive impact on society. Most Americans have little confidence in either the government or U.S. companies to manage the technology responsibly. ## What did Pew Research find about AI chatbot use in 2026? Pew Research Center's **"Americans and AI 2026"** report, published June 17, 2026, found that 49% of U.S. adults now use AI chatbots at least occasionally. That is up sharply from 33% in 2024. The survey covered 5,119 U.S. adults and ran from February 17 to 23, 2026. Despite rising use, 51% of U.S. adults say they never use a chatbot. And most non-users say they are not interested and have no plans to start. ## How fast has chatbot adoption grown? The jump from 33% to 49% in roughly two years is one of the report's headline findings. ChatGPT specifically has seen its usage double since 2023 — [The Verge reports](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/951653/pew-research-ai-chatbot-usage-advancing-too-quickly) that 44% of respondents said they have used it. Still, adoption is uneven. The 30-to-49 age group is the heaviest daily user segment, with 34% saying they turn to chatbots once a day or more. Roughly four in ten Americans reported using AI for work tasks. ## Who uses chatbots — and who doesn't? Age is the clearest dividing line in the data. | Age Group | Ever Use Chatbots | Do Not Ever Use | |-----------|-------------------|-----------------| | 18–29 | 66% | 34% | | 30–49 | 61% | 39% | | 50–64 | 42% | 58% | | 65+ | 23% | 77% | The majority of Americans 50 and older have never used a chatbot, [according to Pew's report](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/why-dont-people-use-chatbots/). Among racial and ethnic groups, Asian adults (English-speaking respondents) showed the highest usage at 70%, while white adults came in at 46%. ## Do younger users actually like AI? Not necessarily. The 18-to-29 group uses chatbots most, but 48% of that same group believe AI will have a negative impact on society. Only 14% believe it will have a positive one. Older generations use chatbots less, but they hold less negative views of AI overall. As The Verge notes, progressively older groups report using chatbots less while also holding a less pessimistic outlook. Here's what we know so far: heavy use and deep skepticism are coexisting in the same generation — a pattern the data makes hard to ignore. ## What do Americans think AI will do to society? The numbers are stark. Only 16% of Americans say AI will have a positive impact on society. Meanwhile, 40% believe AI will ultimately be worse for society, [Variety reports](https://variety.com/2026/biz/news/american-ai-societal-impact-government-regulation-pew-study-1236783185/). On the benefits side, 30% of Americans think AI makes them more productive, and 28% believe it helps them be more informed. ## Do Americans trust the government to regulate AI? No — and they don't trust companies either. The survey found: - **67%** of Americans have little to no confidence that the U.S. government can regulate AI effectively. - **59%** have little to no confidence that U.S. companies can develop AI responsibly. - More Democrats than Republicans were skeptical of government regulation. "AI is no longer the future; for many, it's here and now," said Jeffrey Gottfried, Pew Research Center associate director of research. "Americans are increasingly using chatbots and bringing AI into their homes, but they have a complex relationship with AI. They may use it, but they're still highly skeptical of it and how it will impact our society." ## Why don't non-users want to try chatbots? Pew found that most non-users are simply not interested and have no plans to start. They do not feel like they are missing out. The report frames this as a stable attitude, not a temporary gap waiting to close. This skepticism sits alongside broader concerns about [AI safety practices](/articles/openai-deployment-simulation-gpt5-safety) and the pace of development — a concern that 63% of all Americans share, regardless of whether they use the tools themselves. ## How does this fit the broader AI investment picture? The public wariness documented by Pew comes even as [AI capital spending](/articles/goldman-ai-capex-800-billion-2026) continues to climb. Consumers are adopting the tools while simultaneously doubting the institutions building and overseeing them. That tension is visible in the data on [AI regulation](/articles/altman-amodei-hassabis-g7-summit) and governance debates playing out at the highest levels. For builders and founders, the Pew data is a reminder that [chatbot adoption](/articles/perplexity-ceo-hybrid-local-revenue) growth does not automatically translate into public trust or enthusiasm for the technology's direction. The full Pew report, including detailed demographic breakdowns and methodology, was published on June 17, 2026. ## Frequently asked questions ****What percentage of Americans use AI chatbots in 2026?**** According to Pew Research Center's February 2026 survey of 5,119 U.S. adults, 49% report using AI chatbots at least occasionally. That is up from 33% in 2024. The remaining 51% say they never use a chatbot, and most of those non-users say they are not interested and have no plans to start using one. ****What percentage of Americans think AI is advancing too quickly?**** Pew's June 2026 report found that 63% of Americans believe AI is advancing too quickly. This sentiment exists even among people who actively use chatbots. Only 16% of Americans say they expect AI to have a positive impact on society, while 40% believe it will ultimately be worse for society overall. ****Do Americans trust the government to regulate AI?**** No. The Pew survey found that 67% of Americans have little to no confidence that the U.S. government can effectively regulate AI. An additional 59% have little to no confidence that U.S. companies can develop AI responsibly. More Democrats than Republicans expressed skepticism about the government's ability to regulate the technology. ****Which age group uses AI chatbots the most?**** Americans aged 18 to 29 have the highest overall chatbot usage rate at 66%. However, the 30-to-49 age group uses chatbots most frequently, with 34% saying they turn to them once a day or more. Usage drops sharply with age — only 23% of adults 65 and older report ever using a chatbot. ****How has ChatGPT usage changed since 2023?**** ChatGPT's usage has doubled since 2023, according to the Pew Research 2026 survey. By February 2026, 44% of respondents said they had used ChatGPT. This is part of a broader rise in chatbot adoption, which grew from 33% of U.S. adults in 2024 to 49% by early 2026.