A new Pew Research Center survey finds that Americans are using AI chatbots and smart devices more often than they did two years ago, even as many continue to view artificial intelligence with caution. The report shows broad growth in chatbot use, modest adoption of AI-enabled home devices, and persistent concerns about AI’s effects on society and personal privacy.
Pew surveyed 5,119 U.S. adults from Feb. 17 to 23, 2026. The results suggest that AI is becoming more common in everyday life, but not necessarily more trusted.
About half of U.S. adults now say they have used an AI chatbot such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot. That is a sharp increase from roughly one-third in 2024. Around one-quarter of adults say they use chatbots daily, including 12% who use them several times a day and 4% who say they use them almost constantly.
Searching for information is the most common use, with 42% of adults who use chatbots saying they turn to them for that purpose. Among employed adults, 38% say they use chatbots for tasks at work.
Other common uses include entertainment, image or video creation, medical advice, and diet and fitness information. Smaller shares say they use chatbots for news. Pew found that 10% of adults who use chatbots rely on them for emotional support or advice, while 4% say they use them for companionship.
ChatGPT remains the most widely used chatbot by far. Pew says 44% of adults now report using it, up from 34% in the prior year and more than double the share from 2023, when the center first asked about the tool. Far fewer adults report using Gemini, Copilot, Meta AI, Grok, Claude or Character.ai.
The survey also points to growing, though still limited, use of AI features in the home. About one-third of Americans say they own a smart speaker. Smaller shares report having AI-enabled doorbells or thermostats.
Despite rising use, Americans remain wary of AI’s wider impact. Pew found that more adults expect AI to have a negative effect on them personally and on society than expect a positive one. Concerns are especially pronounced among younger adults, who are among the more frequent users of AI tools but still express skepticism about where the technology is heading.
Majorities of adults also say AI is advancing too quickly. Many believe the technology poses a risk to personal information, underscoring privacy fears that continue to shape public opinion.
The report adds to a growing body of polling showing a mismatch between adoption and confidence. Americans are increasingly experimenting with AI in search, work and daily routines, but the broader public remains unconvinced that the technology’s benefits will outweigh its risks.
Pew’s latest findings suggest that AI has moved from novelty to routine use for many Americans. Even so, the survey indicates that the public is still deciding how much trust to place in a technology that is spreading fast across consumer products, search tools and workplace software.