MOSCOW, 22 June 2026. The VCIOM Analytical Center presents findings from an online survey of Russians on perceptions of artificial intelligence, using questions that replicate a similar survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in the United States.
AI alarms Americans, inspires Russians
Awareness of artificial intelligence in Russia and the United States is already close to saturation: AI has become a widely recognized technology, but differences in the depth of engagement and emotional attitudes lie beneath this broad awareness. First, Russian internet users consider themselves more informed about AI: they are more likely than Americans to say they have heard or read a lot about AI (59% vs. 47%).
Second, attitudes toward AI in the U.S. are much more anxiety-driven: concern about its growing use in everyday life is five times more common than excitement. In Russia, the picture is more balanced: concerns and expectations of benefits coexist, but compared with Americans, Russians are twice as likely to feel excited about AI.
Who uses AI more often?
AI is used more intensively in everyday life in Russia than in the U.S. One in five Russian internet users (19%) says they interact with AI almost constantly, compared with just 5% of Americans. At the same time, in both countries AI is used mostly once or several times a day: 41% in the U.S. and 31% in Russia.
In both countries, interaction with AI goes beyond one-off experimentation and becomes a regular practice, but the experience is different. Americans are more concerned about missed opportunities and the possibility that avoiding AI could mean missing a chance to improve their lives. Russian internet users are more concerned about the potential loss of autonomy (60% vs. 51% among Americans).
AI optimism does not mean ignoring the risks
The comparison shows that Russian internet users are significantly more optimistic about the benefits of AI. Forty-one percent of Russians rate its benefits as high or very high, compared with 25% of Americans. But the difference goes beyond perceptions of its benefits to the broader way the technology is understood. In the U.S., AI is more often seen as a force capable of changing people and society, potentially weakening social and cognitive skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, complex decision-making, and the ability to build interpersonal connections. In Russia, these limitations are also recognized, but perceptions of AI are more strongly shaped by its practical utility—less about “what AI will take away from people” and more about “how it can make life easier and help get things done faster.”
However, Russians’ greater optimism does not mean they disregard the risks. On the contrary, the two audiences assess the potential risks quite similarly: 57% of American internet users and 52% of Russian users rate them as high or very high. The difference lies more in the emotional tone. In the U.S., public concern about AI is more pronounced and intense, while in Russia, a more measured caution prevails: the risks are acknowledged, but they do not outweigh expectations of the benefits.
A shared boundary: politics, religion, and personal relationships
There is no single boundary of trust (distrust) in AI shared by Russian and American online communities, yet respondents in both countries resist its use in areas involving personal decisions, existential questions, and moral dilemmas. They agree that AI should not be allowed in the following areas:
- governing the country,
- romantic relationships,
- religion.
A similar degree of caution is evident when it comes to psychological support: in both countries, views tend to favor a limited role for AI—or no role at all. The legal sphere is even more sensitive. A majority of American internet users oppose using AI to select candidates for jury duty. There is less consensus on using AI to identify criminal suspects: in both Russia and the U.S., a limited role for AI is more widely accepted, but both audiences remain sharply divided between supporters and opponents of such use.
Both Russian and American internet users are more comfortable with AI in areas where it can analyze large volumes of data—for weather forecasting, detecting fraud and financial crimes, and developing new drug formulas. Russian users are more enthusiastic than Americans about assigning AI these kinds of roles.
Where does AI undermine the value of the result?
71% of American and 68% of Russian internet users would view a candidate less favorably if they learned that the candidate’s speech had been written with AI. Even the more AI-optimistic Russian audience rejects AI-generated texts when they are perceived as a sign of insincerity and a lack of personal involvement.
Negative reactions are also strong toward the use of AI to produce news articles: 56% of American internet users and 45% of Russian users would view them less favorably. The same applies to AI-generated medical recommendations: 45% of Americans and 44% of Russians would view an AI-generated treatment plan less favorably.
Reactions are somewhat milder in creative fields: 49% of internet users in the U.S. and 36% in Russia would view an AI-generated painting less favorably; for an AI-generated song, the figures are 38% and 27%, respectively.
When it comes to receiving customer support from AI instead of a human, Russian internet users are significantly more accepting than Americans: 14% of Russian online users react negatively, compared with 41% of Americans.
The U.S. study was conducted by the Pew Research Center from June 9–15, 2025, among 5,023 adults aged 18 and older. The survey used a nationally representative online panel. More information on the study’s methodology and findings is available on the organization’s official website: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2025/09/17/how-americans-view-ai-and-its-impact-on-people-and-society/
The Russian nationwide online survey was conducted on May 9–10, 2026, among 1,600 Russians aged 18 and older. The survey used a structured questionnaire administered through the probabilistic VCIOM-Online panel. Panel participants are recruited through the daily nationwide Sputnik telephone survey (CATI), which uses a random-digit-dialing (RDD) sample of mobile numbers from the full range of numbers in use across Russia.
How much have you heard or read about Artificial Intelligence? (close-ended question, one answer, % of respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
A lot | 47 | 59 |
A little bit | 48 | 39 |
Nothing | 5 | 0 |
Don’t know | <1 | 2 |
The growing use of artificial intelligence in everyday life — does it make you feel more excited, more concerned, or equally excited and concerned?? (close-ended question, one answer, % of respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
More excited | 10 | 21 |
More concerned | 50 | 25 |
Equally excited and concerned | 38 | 47 |
Don’t know | 1 | 7 |
How often do you think you interact with artificial intelligence in your everyday life? (close-ended question, one answer, % of respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Almost constantly | 5 | 19 |
Everal times a day | 26 | 31 |
About once a week | —* | 13 |
Several times a week | 17 | 10 |
Less often | 38 | 13 |
Don’t know | <1 | 14 |
* Pew does not include a separate “About once a week” category. Its “Less often” category includes about once a week and less often. Pew also includes an “About once a day” category, which is not included in the VCIOM questionnaire.
How often do you think you interact with artificial intelligence in your everyday life? (close-ended question, one answer, % of respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Almost constantly | 5 | 19 |
Once or several times a day | 41 | 31 |
Once or several times a week | 17 | 23 |
Less often | 38 | 13 |
Don’t know | <1 | 14 |
* Adjusted to comparable response categories.
How much does each of the following aspects concern you about society as a whole? (closed-ended question, one answer per item; % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
People will miss opportunities to improve their lives by being too reluctant to use AI | ||
Very concerned | 8 | 4 |
Somewhat concerned | 13 | 13 |
Equally concerned and not concerned | 29 | 26 |
Not too concerned | 28 | 27 |
Not at all concerned | 11 | 24 |
Don’t know | 10 | 6 |
People may become less able to do things on their own because of their use of artificial intelligence (AI) | ||
Very concerned | 24 | 26 |
Somewhat concerned | 27 | 34 |
Equally concerned and not concerned | 31 | 18 |
Not too concerned | 8 | 11 |
Not at all concerned | 3 | 8 |
Don’t know | 7 | 3 |
How would you rate the benefits of artificial intelligence for society as a whole? (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Very low | 7 | 3 |
Low | 12 | 6 |
Medium | 41 | 41 |
High | 19 | 32 |
Very high | 6 | 9 |
Don’t know | 15 | 9 |
How would you rate the risks associated with artificial intelligence for society as a whole? (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Very high | 25 | 15 |
High | 32 | 37 |
Moderate | 26 | 31 |
Low | 4 | 7 |
Very low | 1 | 3 |
Don’ t know | 11 | 7 |
What role do you think artificial intelligence should play in each of the following areas? (closed-ended question, one answer per item; % of all respondents) | |||
|
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
In making decisions about how to govern the country | AI should play a major role | 4 | 8 |
AI should play a minor role | 23 | 28 | |
AI should play no role at all | 60 | 59 | |
Don’t know | 13 | 5 | |
In determining whether two people can fall in love
| AI should play a major role | 3 | 2 |
AI should play a minor role | 16 | 15 | |
AI should play no role at all | 66 | 77 | |
Don’t know | 15 | 6 | |
In forecasting the weather
| AI should play a major role | 35 | 61 |
AI should play a minor role | 39 | 27 | |
AI should play no role at all | 12 | 6 | |
Don’t know | 14 | 6 | |
In detecting fraud in government benefits claims | AI should play a major role | 32 | 58 |
AI should play a minor role | 38 | 27 | |
AI should play no role at all | 15 | 8 | |
Don’t know | 14 | 7 | |
In developing new medicines | AI should play a major role | 31 | 48 |
AI should play a minor role | 35 | 31 | |
AI should play no role at all | 18 | 14 | |
Don’t know | 16 | 7 | |
In selecting candidates for jury duty | AI should play a major role | 5 | 18 |
AI should play a minor role | 28 | 34 | |
AI should play no role at all | 47 | 38 | |
Don’t know | 19 | 10 | |
In advising people about their faith in God | AI should play a major role | 3 | 4 |
AI should play a minor role | 8 | 12 | |
AI should play no role at all | 73 | 73 | |
Don’t know | 16 | 11 | |
In identifying suspects in a crime | AI should play a major role | 23 | 24 |
AI should play a minor role | 38 | 43 | |
AI should play no role at all | 22 | 26 | |
Don’t know | 17 | 7 | |
In providing psychological support to people | AI should play a major role | 11 | 11 |
AI should play a minor role | 34 | 39 | |
AI should play no role at all | 36 | 43 | |
Don’t know | 18 | 7 | |
In detecting financial crimes | AI should play a major role | 35 | 61 |
AI should play a minor role | 35 | 25 | |
AI should play no role at all | 13 | 8 | |
Don’t know | 16 | 6 | |
How do you think the growing use of artificial intelligence in society will affect people’s ability to do the following? (closed-ended question, one answer per item; % of all respondents)
| |||
|
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Think creatively | AI will help people do this better | 16 | 20 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 53 | 44 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 16 | 29 | |
Don’t know | 16 | 7 | |
Make complex decisions | AI will help people do this better | 19 | 36 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 40 | 33 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 20 | 21 | |
Don’t know | 20 | 10 | |
Solve problems | AI will help people do this better | 29 | 43 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 38 | 25 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 15 | 23 | |
Don’t know | 17 | 9 | |
Build relationships with other people | AI will help people do this better | 5 | 12 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 50 | 40 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 25 | 39 | |
Don’t know | 20 | 9 | |
Imagine you see a painting that you really like. Then you find out it was created by artificial intelligence. After that, you would most likely... (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Appreciate it more | 3 | 1 |
Appreciate it less | 49 | 36 |
Appreciate it about the same as before | 48 | 55 |
Don’t know | <1 | 8 |
Imagine you are chatting online with a customer service representative to resolve an issue. The representative helps you. Later, you find out that you were actually chatting with an AI chatbot, not a human. After this, you would most likely feel... (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Better | 6 | 8 |
Worse | 41 | 14 |
As before | 53 | 72 |
Don’t know | 1 | 6 |
Imagine you are listening to a speech by a candidate running for office in your area. You like what the candidate has to say. Later, you find out that the candidate used AI to write the speech. How would this affect your view of the candidate? You would view the candidate... (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
More positively | 3 | 1 |
More negatively | 71 | 68 |
About the same | 25 | 24 |
Don’t know | 1 | 7 |
Imagine you hear a song that you really like. Then you find out it was created by artificial intelligence. After this, you would most likely appreciate the song... (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
More | 3 | 2 |
Less | 38 | 27 |
About the same as before | 58 | 66 |
Don’t know | 1 | 5 |
Imagine you go to a doctor with a health concern. After hearing your symptoms, the doctor recommends a promising treatment. Later, you find out that the treatment was recommended by AI. How would this affect your view of the doctor’s recommendation? You would view it... (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
More positively | 13 | 5 |
More negatively | 45 | 44 |
About the same | 41 | 35 |
Don’t know | 1 | 16 |
Imagine you are reading an article on a news website you often visit. You feel like you learned a lot from it. Later, you find out that the article was written by AI. After this, you would most likely trust what you learned... (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
More | 7 | 2 |
Less | 56 | 45 |
About the same as before | 36 | 42 |
Don’t know | 1 | 11 |
How do you think the growing use of artificial intelligence in society will affect people’s ability to do the following? (closed-ended question, one answer per item; % of all respondents)
| |||
|
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
Think creatively | AI will help people do this better | 16 | 20 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 53 | 44 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 16 | 29 | |
Don’t know | 16 | 7 | |
Make complex decisions | AI will help people do this better | 19 | 36 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 40 | 33 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 20 | 21 | |
Don’t know | 20 | 10 | |
Solve problems | AI will help people do this better | 29 | 43 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 38 | 25 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 15 | 23 | |
Don’t know | 17 | 9 | |
Build relationships with other people | AI will help people do this better | 5 | 12 |
AI will make it harder for people to do this | 50 | 40 | |
AI will have no impact on people’s ability to do this | 25 | 39 | |
Don’t know | 20 | 9 | |
Imagine you want to apply for a loan. You fill out an application online and find out that an AI program will decide whether or not to approve your loan. How would this affect your view of applying for the loan? You would feel... (close-ended question, one answer, % of all respondents) | ||
| Pew Research | VCIOM |
More positively | 8 | 7 |
More negatively | 57 | 26 |
About the same as before | 35 | 58 |
Don’t know | 1 | 9 |
Author: Kseniya Demina