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ORANGE, Calif. — October 20, 2026 — Chapman University today released the results of its 12th annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears , revealing that concerns about artificial intelligence have entered the nation’s top 10 fears for the first time. The survey found that more than half of Americans fear AI could harm the political process, while nearly half worry it will hurt the economy.
The 2026 findings also show that fear of corrupt government officials remains the nation’s top fear for the 11th consecutive survey, with 61.1% of respondents reporting they are afraid or very afraid of government corruption. The fear of the United States becoming involved in another world war rose from No. 6 in 2025 to No. 2 this year, with 58% expressing fear.
For the first time, researchers added several questions specifically examining fears surrounding artificial intelligence. Two AI-related concerns landed in the top 10: AI harming the political process ranked No. 3, at 51.9%, and AI hurting the economy ranked No. 7, at 49.7%.
“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 Christopher Bader, Ph.D., professor of sociology at Chapman University and a lead researcher on the survey. “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.”
A Changing Landscape of Fear
The survey’s top 10 reflects concerns about government, global conflict, artificial intelligence, loved ones, and economic stability. Alongside the rise of AI fears, concerns about biological warfare (48.2% of Americans; No. 9) and terrorist attacks (47.3% of Americans; No. 10) entered the top 10 this year.
“The fear of the United States becoming involved in another world war rose substantially this year,” Bader said. “The recent conflict with Iran appears to have influenced Americans’ concerns about global conflict. The rise of fears about biological warfare and terrorism may also reflect this broader sense of uncertainty.”
Family fears remained prominent. More than half of respondents fear a loved one becoming seriously ill (51.8%), ranking No. 4, while 50.6% fear a loved one dying, tying for No. 5. Economic or financial collapse also ranked among the nation’s leading concerns, with 50.6% reporting fear, while government tracking of personal data ranked No. 8 at 48.9%.
Americans’ Relationship With AI: Concern and Cautious Optimism
Beyond the top 10, the survey explored how Americans view emerging technologies and how their experiences with AI may influence their concerns.
Researchers found that people who use AI more frequently tend to report less fear of its potential effects. For example, 46% of people who use AI at least weekly fear it could harm the political process, compared with 55% of those who never use AI.
“People’s fears about AI are much broader than concerns about automation or job displacement,” said Seth Benzell, Ph.D., assistant professor at Chapman University who studies the economics of AI. “The survey points to concerns about AI’s effects on society, politics, and the economy, while also suggesting that greater familiarity with these tools may be associated with less fear.”
The survey also found that Americans are more hopeful than fearful about certain technologies, including abundant clean energy, life-extension medicine, and human-robot collaboration in manufacturing. Meanwhile, continuous employee monitoring, genetically engineering human babies, and AI romantic partners were among the technologies that generated the greatest concern relative to hope.
Consistent with Chapman’s research philosophy and approach, students were actively involved in the analysis of the survey’s findings.
About the Survey
The Chapman University Survey of American Fears is conducted annually by Chapman University’s Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences , through a collaboration between the Ludie and David C. Henley Social Sciences Research Laboratory and the Earl Babbie Research Center.
The 2026 survey was fielded by NORC using its AmeriSpeak® probability-based panel, designed to represent the U.S. household population. The survey was conducted online in English from April 7 through April 21, 2026, with 1,221 completed interviews and a margin of error of ±3.79 percentage points.
The full 2026 report, with a list of all fears, methodology, charts and analysis, is available at www.chapman.edu/fearsurvey .
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About Chapman University
Founded in 1861, Chapman University is a nationally ranked private university in Orange, California, about 30 miles south of Los Angeles. Chapman serves nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students can choose from more than 100 areas of study within 11 colleges for a personalized education. Chapman is categorized by the Carnegie Classification as an R2 “high research activity” institution. Learn more at www.chapman.edu .
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