A sharp partisan divide has emerged over artificial intelligence in just two years, with Republicans increasingly viewing the technology and its makers favorably while Democrats grow more wary, according to the latest Axios Harris Poll rankings.
The shift tracks with the change in administrations and the explosive growth of AI capabilities. Republicans now express significantly more trust in AI companies than Democrats do, a gap that has widened considerably since 2022.
OpenAI, the high-profile AI firm behind ChatGPT, exemplifies the trend. Two years ago, Republicans and Democrats held nearly identical views of the company. Today, Republicans rate OpenAI 12 points higher in reputation than Democrats do. Similar partisan splits have opened up around TikTok, Nvidia, Meta, and X.
But not all AI firms follow the pattern. Anthropic, the AI startup founded by Dario Amodei, ranks much higher overall in reputation and shows only a 1-point gap between Republicans and Democrats. That smaller divide may stem partly from Anthropic's willingness to confront the Trump administration earlier this year, refusing to remove safety guardrails designed to prevent surveillance and weapons development.
When measuring personal sentiment, the numbers reinforce the partisan split. Forty-four percent of Republicans say their views of AI have grown more positive over the past year, compared to just 35% of Democrats. On the flip side, 40% of Democrats worry that AI will seriously damage their career prospects and wages going forward, versus 32% of Republicans.
Generation shapes the outlook significantly. Gen Z respondents express the deepest anxiety, with 42% expecting AI to harm job opportunities for people their age. Millennials, by contrast, show more confidence, likely because they are already established in their careers and typically more comfortable with technology.
The anxiety extends beyond partisanship. AI leaders themselves have warned of coming job displacement. Public concern also centers on the massive power demands of data centers, potential misuse of AI systems, and questions about how government should oversee the technology.
John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll, framed the moment starkly: "The cultural fault lines are quickly being drawn on whether AI is a benefactor or a 'broligarchy'." For a decade, he noted, big tech companies tilted progressive. But the dominant AI firms have shifted rightward as their innovation and market power have proved essentially unchallenged.
President Trump's warm embrace of the technology appears to be reinforcing Republican confidence, while younger voters, who tend Democratic, worry most about their entry-level opportunities being automated away.
Author James Rodriguez: "AI has become as politically charged as the economy and immigration, which tells you how fast this technology is reshaping the national conversation."
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