New Poll Reveals Strong Bipartisan Opposition to Proposed Ban on State AI Laws

Common Sense Media and Echelon Insights released the findings of a new poll showing that Americans across the political spectrum strongly oppose a decade-long ban on state AI safety laws included in the budget reconciliation bill narrowly passed by the House on May 22 and now being considered by the Senate. The key takeaways from the poll include:

• Concern about the potential effects of AI—especially on kids and teens—is widespread and bipartisan.
  • 93% of voters—including 95% of Republicans—are concerned about kids being exposed to highly sexualized AI-generated content online. Nine-in-ten worry about the effect of social media on kids and teens.
• Voters—including Republicans—do not want the budget reconciliation bill to pre-empt state efforts on AI.
  • 81% of voters overall agree that "advances in AI are exciting but also bring risks, and in such fast-moving times, we shouldn't force states to sit on the sidelines for a full decade." This includes 78% of Republicans.
• Voters may support innovation and technology, but they don't want it to come at the expense of kids' well-being.
  • 70% of voters overall—including 68% of Republicans—say that Congress should not prohibit states from enacting or enforcing AI and tech regulation because it could roll back protections for kids and teens from online dangers.