# People really hate AI, so why can’t they get enough?

Digest AI · Society & Work · published 2026-10-05T08:00:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/people-really-hate-ai-so-why-cant-they-get-enough

## Summary

Recent surveys reveal a stark contrast between public sentiment and actual AI usage. A Gallup poll in May found that 71% of U.S. adults would oppose the construction of a new AI data center, compared with 53% who would oppose a new nuclear power plant. A Stanford report says more than half of people worldwide say AI products make them nervous, and an NBC poll in March showed AI was less popular than ICE.

Despite the pessimism, adoption keeps climbing. Sensor Tower reports that ChatGPT reached a billion monthly users in May, while Google DeepMind’s Gemini logged 950 million users in July. Pew Research notes that half of U.S. adults now use a chatbot, with one in four doing so daily, and over a third of adults in the 38 OECD countries have used generative AI tools in the past three months. Meanwhile, all 50 U.S. states have passed or proposed more than 2,100 AI‑related bills—a tenfold rise in three years, indicating growing regulatory appetite.

The piece, an opinion column, argues that the dislike many express is less about the technology itself and more about the relentless push from companies, suggesting that clearer, less aggressive AI offerings could ease public concern.

## Key points

- 71% of US adults would oppose a new AI data center, versus 53% opposing a nuclear plant (Gallup, May).
- ChatGPT hit a billion monthly users in May; Gemini logged 950 million users in July (Sensor Tower).
- More than 2,100 AI‑related bills have been passed or proposed across all 50 US states, a tenfold increase in three years.

## Why it matters

The gap between rising AI usage and growing public fear highlights the need for responsible deployment and clearer regulation to maintain trust.

## Sources

1. [People really hate AI, so why can’t they get enough?](https://technologyreview.com/2026/10/05/1145682/people-really-hate-ai-so-why-cant-they-get-enough) (MIT Technology Review AI, 2026-10-05)

Part of the developing story: [AI Love-Hate Cycle Unfolds](https://digestai.news/thread/users-switching-from-chatgpt-to-claude-surge-1487) (2 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "People really hate AI, so why can’t they get enough?", 5 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/people-really-hate-ai-so-why-cant-they-get-enough

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