Global Survey Shows Wide Gaps in Public Trust Toward AI Regulation by EU, US and China
A new international survey released this week offers a detailed look at how people around the world assess the ability of major powers to control the development of artificial intelligence, revealing sharp contrasts between regions and political groups. The study, conducted across 25 countries, found that the European Union (EU) receives the highest overall confidence levels, with roughly half of respondents saying the bloc can manage AI responsibly. Smaller shares expressed similar confidence in the United States or China.
The data shows that views of the EU’s regulatory role vary widely. Large majorities in Germany and the Netherlands believe Brussels is capable of overseeing AI, while adults in Greece and Italy are far more skeptical. Several countries outside the EU—including Nigeria, Australia, Indonesia, Kenya, and Canada— also expressed significant trust in European regulators. In contrast, only a minority in Latin American countries such as Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil shared that view. In the United States, opinions on the EU’s capabilities were divided almost evenly.
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Personal attitudes toward the EU strongly shaped responses. People who viewed the bloc positively were consistently more confident in its ability to govern AI, a pattern repeated when respondents were asked about trust in the U.S. and China. Education levels also played a role: In most surveyed states, adults with more schooling were more inclined to trust the EU’s regulatory capacity.
The U.S. received lower median scores, with fewer than four in ten respondents worldwide saying Washington could regulate AI effectively. Israel, Nigeria, India, and Kenya were among the countries where majorities expressed trust in the U.S. system. American respondents were split, with opinions breaking along political lines. Outside the U.S., respondents who held favorable views of America were more likely to express confidence in its oversight.
China ranked lowest overall. Only about a quarter of respondents across the survey believed Beijing could regulate AI well, and majorities in most European countries said they did not trust China on this issue. Younger adults were generally more willing than older adults to express confidence in Chinese regulation, and people who felt optimistic about AI were more trusting of China, the EU, and the U.S. alike.
The findings point to deep divides over who should guide the rules for rapidly advancing technology—and suggest that public confidence will be shaped as much by geopolitics as by the technology itself.
