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- 1Americans grow wary of data centers even as AI use climbs●On the other hand, they're using AI more and more and more... Cognitive Dissonance anyone? "Americans are growing more a
A new Pew Research Center survey finds that Americans are increasingly wary of data centers, with sharp rises since January in the share who view their effects on the environment and energy supply negatively. The findings are drawing attention because they appear to run alongside growing personal and workplace use of AI, prompting commentary about public ambivalence: people rely on AI tools more and more while resenting the energy-hungry infrastructure behind them.
- 2Pew Research Center explains its limits on AI use●How Pew Research Center is – and is not – using AI in our work
Pew Research Center has published an explanation of how it does and does not use artificial intelligence in its research and reporting work. The piece lays out the boundaries the nonpartisan pollster draws around AI tools, a subject of broad interest as research organizations face pressure to be transparent about their use of automation while protecting the credibility of their findings.
- 3Pew survey: growing share say social media harms democracy●# Socialmedia harms # democracy by spreading rumors, survey shows A growing number of people think social media manipula
A Pew Research survey finds a growing number of people believe social media manipulates and divides people and harms democracy by spreading rumors. The findings echo rising concern and tighter regulatory scrutiny of major platform companies around the world, as governments weigh how to address misinformation and its effects on public debate.
- 4Global survey finds internet seen as dividing people▼Growing shares across countries say the internet and social media have made people more divided
A new Pew Research Center report finds that growing shares of people across multiple countries believe the internet and social media have made people more divided rather than more united. The findings point to rising public concern that online platforms deepen political and social polarization, a shift from earlier optimism about digital connectivity bringing societies closer together.
- 5Global Survey Finds Growing Concern Social Media Harms Democracy▼Across the Globe, People Increasingly Say Social Media Is Harming Democracy
A Pew Research Center report finds that growing numbers of people across multiple countries believe social media is bad for democracy. The findings point to rising public scepticism about the impact of platforms on political discourse, misinformation and public debate worldwide, with concern increasing compared with previous years of polling.
- 6Pew Examines Why Americans Choose Party Labels or Reject Them●Why Americans Identify as Republicans and Democrats – and Why They Don’t
Pew Research Center has released a new analysis exploring why Americans identify as Republicans or Democrats, and why a growing share choose not to align with either party. The report examines the motivations behind partisan affiliation and the rise of independents, offering fresh insight into the state of political identity in the United States ahead of ongoing national debates.
- 7Pew offers nonprofit communicators a guide to AI audiences▼Welcoming machines as audience: A guide for nonprofit communicators thinking about AI
Pew Research Center has published a guide for nonprofit communicators on treating machines as an audience, addressing how organizations should think about AI systems that read and interpret their content. The piece offers practical guidance for the nonprofit sector as artificial intelligence increasingly shapes how information is found and distributed.
- 8Pew Finds AI Poor Substitute for Human Survey Respondents▼Can AI Stand In for Human Survey-Takers? Not Really
The Pew Research Center reports that artificial intelligence cannot reliably replace human respondents in surveys, despite growing interest in using AI models to simulate public opinion. The finding challenges suggestions that large language models could stand in for real people when gathering social and political data, reinforcing that human participation remains essential for accurate survey research.
- 9Pew examines how AI-generated survey respondents handle factual questions●How synthetic respondents express certainty and factual knowledge
Pew Research Center has published new analysis on synthetic respondents, AI-generated stand-ins for human survey participants, focusing on how confidently they express certainty and report factual knowledge. The work examines whether simulated respondents behave like real people when asked knowledge-based questions. Researchers and polling analysts are weighing what the findings mean for the reliability of AI-generated data as a substitute for traditional surveys.
- 10Pew examines how synthetic samples replicate public opinion●How well synthetic samples replicate public opinion
Pew Research Center is publishing work on how well synthetic samples, generated with AI, replicate real public opinion. The research tests whether artificially produced survey respondents can match results from genuine samples, a question of growing urgency as pollers weigh cheaper synthetic alternatives. Researchers are scrutinising accuracy, bias and reliability, with implications for survey firms, campaigns and social scientists who depend on representative public opinion data.
- 11Pew examines synthetic surveys and topical polling questions●Synthetic surveys and ‘timely and topical’ questions
Pew Research Center has published work on synthetic surveys, exploring how artificially generated survey respondents perform when asked 'timely and topical' questions. The piece weighs whether AI-produced respondents can substitute for real ones on fast-moving news topics, a growing concern for pollsters as synthetic data becomes cheaper and more widely used.
- 12Can synthetic polls really capture public opinion?●How well synthetic polls capture the diversity of public opinion
Pew Research Center is examining how well synthetic polls, which use artificial respondents generated by AI models, reflect the true diversity of public opinion. The analysis looks at whether these simulated surveys can stand in for traditional polling and how accurately they mirror real differences across demographics and viewpoints. The topic is drawing attention as pollsters weigh the promise and risks of AI-generated survey data.