Fox News Poll: Majority of Voters Urge AI Regulation Over Innovation

<p>A recent Fox News Poll indicates that a significant majority of registered voters consider it urgent for the federal government to regulate artificial intelligence (AI), prioritizing public safety over innovation. Approximately 78% of respondents believe it is either extremely (40%) or very (37%) urgent for the government to address AI regulations.</p><p>According to the poll, 51% of voters think the federal government should bear a great deal of responsibility for AI regulation, while 54% believe the tech industry should hold similar responsibility. Additionally, 39% of respondents feel that state governments should also have a significant role.</p><p>The poll reveals a generational divide regarding the urgency of AI regulation, with 69% of voters under 30 viewing it as urgent compared to 84% of those aged 65 and older.</p><p>When asked about priorities for regulation, 80% of voters favored protecting public interests over promoting innovation (19%), with a notable generational gap: 66% of those under 30 support prioritizing public safety, while 88% of voters aged 65 and older agree.</p><p>Partisan differences are minimal; however, Democrats (83%) and independents (82%) are slightly more inclined than Republicans (77%) to prioritize public interest protection.</p><p>On the question of international coordination for AI regulation, voters are nearly evenly split, with 51% favoring coordination with other countries and 49% preferring the U.S. to act independently. Younger voters are divided on this issue, while older voters tend to favor coordination by a 9-point margin (54% vs. 45%).</p><p>Conducted from May 15 to 18, 2026, the poll surveyed 1,002 registered voters and has a margin of error of ±3 percentage points.</p>