48% of US adults expect AI to harm decision-making skills by 2035, against 30% of AI experts

What the chart shows

In Elon University’s 2025 survey, US adults were more likely than AI experts to expect AI to do more harm than good by 2035 to 9 of 12 human capacities. The largest gaps are for decision-making and problem-solving (48% vs 30%), metacognition, the ability to think about one’s own thinking (53% vs 36%), and innovative thinking and creativity (45% vs 30%).

Social and emotional intelligence draws the most concern from both groups: 55% of adults and 50% of experts. Experts are more negative than adults on three: trust in shared values and norms (48% vs 41%), confidence in one’s own abilities (48% vs 43%) and mental well-being (45% vs 42%).

Key numbers

How to read it

• Elon University’s Imagining the Digital Future Center surveyed 1,005 US adults on 17–20 July 2025 and compares them with experts; the AI Index labels that group AI experts.
• The AI Index text gives 51% (adults) and 34% (experts) for social and emotional intelligence, and 55% and 53% for mental well-being. The data file and the report’s chart show 55% and 50%, and 42% and 45%, which we use.