Bipartisan majority of US voters back strict government reviews for advanced AI, poll shows

US demand for strict artificial intelligence regulation is rising, driven by a powerful bipartisan consensus that favors tighter rules for the technology, a new public opinion survey shows.

The poll, conducted by the Artificial Intelligence Policy Institute (AIPI), revealed that 68% of respondents support a requirement for the government to subject “the most advanced AI models to a formal review process before they are widely released.”

In contrast, 20% of participants expressed the view that the government should “rely primarily on companies to test their own AI models and step in mainly after problems arise.” The remaining 12% of respondents were undecided on which approach to support.

Broken down by political affiliation, the formal review process is supported by 76% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans, and 63% of independent voters.

Conversely, the survey showed that 15% of Democrats, 24% of Republicans, and 23% of independents believe the government should rely chiefly on self-testing by companies.

Backlash against data centers grows

Efforts to block or restrict the construction of data centers have gained momentum at both the state and local government levels in recent months.

Public opposition to the construction of massive AI infrastructure projects in local communities is becoming increasingly pronounced across the US.

Two months ago, the Maine State Legislature passed a bill halting the development of large-scale data centers, making it the first state in the country to take such action.

Resistance to data centers has been on the rise for the past several years. Local communities have expressed growing concern over the high energy consumption of these infrastructure facilities and their subsequent impact on the cost of living and the environment.

In March, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders announced the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act.

The proposed legislation seeks to halt the construction of AI infrastructure until lawmakers enact measures that mandate state reviews of AI products, prevent mass job losses, and limit increases in consumer electricity prices.

The public opinion poll was conducted between June 10 and June 11 among 1,007 likely voters. The survey has a margin of error of 4.2%.