Press Release – Metrigy AI Index Rises as Americans Warm to AI Today but Stay Wary of Tomorrow

Second-quarter 2026 results show current sentiment climbing while 10-year expectations hold flat, exposing a present-positive, future-anxious divide.

June 17, 2026 — Metrigy today released the second-quarter 2026 results of its AI Sentiment Index, finding that U.S. adults are growing more comfortable using artificial intelligence (AI) in daily life even as their long-term expectations for the technology remain uncertain.

The Overall AI Sentiment Index rose to 101.4 from the first-quarter 2026 baseline of 100, lifted by a Current AI Sentiment Index of 102.2. The Future Expectations AI Index had little impact on the overall index, staying nearly flat at 100.6. The 1.6-point gap between current and future sentiment is the most significant feature of the quarter, with current personal experience pushing present sentiment up and persistent concerns about jobs, privacy and misinformation holding future expectations lower.

The broader survey data tracks in the same direction. The share of respondents saying AI has made them personally better off climbed to 47.2% from 44.8%, with the share of those considering themselves to be regular AI users growing to 34.5% from 32.8%. Misinformation, data privacy, and job displacement each remained primary concerns for more than half of respondents, and the 10-year outlook barely moved, splitting roughly evenly among continuous growth, widespread problems, and mixed results.

“People may genuinely worry about what AI will do in five years and still report that AI made their week easier. The data shows direct experience driving optimism while uncertainty keeps future expectations in check, and that divide is exactly what businesses need to design and market against,” said Matt Craig, senior director of product development at Metrigy.

The findings also point to a hardening divide by income and education. Among respondents earning more than $125,000, 68.5% feel personally better off from AI, compared with 19.9% of those earning under $20,000—a 49-point gap. 

Concern is highest among the most informed. Counter to the assumption that skepticism stems from unfamiliarity, 72.1% of master’s degree holders cite data privacy as a concern, compared with 33.3% of those with only some high school education. The most-exposed segments are the most aware of what could go wrong, undercutting the idea that the public simply doesn’t yet understand AI.

Consumer patience for surface-level AI is also wearing thin. Only 29.6% of respondents call new AI-powered features in existing products genuinely useful, while 41.4% view them as marketing hype or an active hindrance, a signal that future launches will be judged on what the AI actually does rather than on its presence.

The Metrigy AI Sentiment Index reflects the views of 1,000 demographically representative U.S. adults, sampled to be balanced across age, gender, household income, region, and educational attainment, with first-quarter 2026 establishing the baseline at 100. The full second-quarter 2026 detailed report is available from Metrigy at metrigy.com.

About Metrigy: Metrigy is an innovative research and advisory firm focusing on the rapidly changing areas of artificial intelligence, customer experience, and workplace collaboration—along with several related technologies, including knowledge management, security, and workforce engagement management. Metrigy conducts research with business leaders, consumers, and technology vendors. Our analysts deliver strategic guidance and informative content, backed by primary research metrics, indexes, and analysis, for technology providers and enterprise organizations.

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Author(s)

Ellyn Waleski