A little over four in 10 young voting-age adults are in favor of giving artificial intelligence broad government powers, according to a recently released survey.
The Heartland Institute’s Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center and Rasmussen Reports announced on Wednesday the findings of a poll taken of 1,496 likely voters aged 18-39 with a margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
According to the study’s findings, 41% of respondents said they support giving “an advanced AI system authority to control public policymaking decisions.”
This sizable minority in favor of AI controlling policy decisions included 55% who self-identified as conservatives and 54% of respondents between the ages of 25-29.
Additionally, according to researchers, 36% of respondents supported a proposal that gives AI control over “rights that belong to individuals and families, including rights related to speech, religious practices, government authority, and property.”
Thirty-five percent of respondents supported giving “an advanced AI system the authority to control all of the world’s largest militaries, with the express purpose of reducing the number of people who die from war.” Among those aged 18-24, 40% supported this idea.
“These results are stunning,” stated Heartland researchers, as quoted in the announcement. “What we are seeing is the early emergence of an AI strong man mentality among younger Americans.”
“Younger generations are increasingly disillusioned with the failures of traditional institutions, so much so, that they are willing to hand control to artificial intelligence.”
In recent years, AI has garnered controversy, with many fearing that it will harm workers in various professions by taking over their jobs, while supporters believe it can help improve research and development in numerous fields.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump’s proposed One Big Beautiful Bill included a provision enacting a 10-year moratorium on state-level AI regulations. The proposal was removed from the final bill, however.
In September, Albania garnered headlines when it became the first country to appoint an AI chatbot to a government position, which was named Diella, or “sun” in Albanian.
The chatbot was appointed minister for public procurement, with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama saying that Diella will help curb the extensive public corruption problem in the Eastern European nation.
“I am not here to replace people but to assist them,” Diella stated in its first address to Parliament. “Truly, I do not have citizenship, nor do I have any personal ambition or interests.”
“I only have data, a thirst for knowledge and algorithms dedicated to serving citizens impartially, transparently and tirelessly. Isn’t this precisely the spirit of constitutional democracy? Exercising power in the service of everyone free from bias, discrimination, nepotism or corruption?”
