--- title: "Americans Are Officially More Scared of AI Than a Loved One Getting Cancer" description: "According to a new survey, the fear of AI outranked fears of a loved one \"becoming seriously ill,\" or \"people I love dying.\"" date: "2026-10-26" modified: "2026-10-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor.md" url: "https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/americans-more-scared-ai-loved-one-ill" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Ethics" - "Future Society" --- # Americans Are Officially More Scared of AI Than a Loved One Getting Cancer ![The silhouette of a robot with guns.]() *Shutterstock* The fear of AI has reached a fever pitch. There's data to support it. According to the [Chapman University Survey of American Fears](), an annual poll that asks what Americans are "really afraid of," the fear of AI hurting the political process and economy ranked in third and seventh place, respectively. These fears were only outdone by "corrupt government officials" and the possibility of the US becoming involved in another world war. Perhaps the most extraordinary context: anxieties about AI are scaring Americans more than the fear of a loved one "becoming seriously ill," or "people I love dying." Put simply, according to the survey, people are more scared of AI than a loved one getting a terminal diagnosis — a grim indication of just how much head space fears of AI are taking up for the average person. Other surveys have turned up similar findings. Just last month, a [*Politico* poll]() found that [roughly two thirds of Americans]() believes there's now at least a "moderate" chance that advanced AI could destroy humanity. "These findings make it clear that Americans are concerned not just about what AI might mean for their jobs, but about its potential impact on our political system and the economy," said Chapman University professor of sociology and survey founder Christopher Bader in a [statement](). "As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into everyday life, understanding these fears will be increasingly important." "We expect concerns about AI to remain a significant part of the national conversation in the years ahead," he added. At the same time, the exact ranking should be taken with a grain of salt. "I think it’s important to keep in mind that the top 10 doesn’t tell the full story, and even though a lot of fears went up this year, there are a lot of fears that are also actually lower," said Chapman University sociology associate professor Ashley Wendell Kranjac in the statement. For instance, fewer Americans listed air pollution or terrorist attacks compared to last year. However, we've already seen that many of these fears are well-founded. The tech industry is essentially betting the fate of the entire economy by making colossal investments in data centers, massive investments that [may not only fail to pay off](), but could even [cause global markets to collapse]() if the bubble bursts. Political candidates are also [spending obscene amounts on AI slop]() in an effort to influence the upcoming midterm elections. In short, it's no wonder Americans are terrified of what AI hath wrought. **More on AI fears:** [*The Majority of Americans Are Now Terrified of AI*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [The Average Person Is Far More Scared of AI Than Excited by It, Studies Find]() - [The Majority of Americans Are Now Terrified of AI]() - [Growing Majority of Americans Convinced That AI Is Bad for Society]() - [The More People Learn About AI, the More They Want It Out of Their Lives]() - [The AI Industry Has Fumbled Its Public Image So Badly That It’s Incredible]() - [Fewer Americans Like AI Than ICE, Poll Shows]() - [A Majority of Americans Now Support Seizing Wealth From AI Industry]() - [An Overwhelming Percent of Americans Now Want to Pause AI and Tax Billionaires]()