New Yorkers Are Deeply Divided Over Artificial Intelligence

Whether you realize it or not, there’s a good chance artificial intelligence has already worked its way into your daily routine. Maybe you’ve used it to help write an email, plan a trip, summarize information, or even figure out what to make for dinner. For many New Yorkers, AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot are becoming as normal as using Google.

But while Americans are clearly using AI more often, a new survey shows trust in the technology is still all over the place.

Most Workers Use AI, But Many Still Feel Uneasy About It

According to a new survey from tech recruiting firm Howdy.com, 72% of Americans say they use AI at work. At the same time, 62% said they are not comfortable giving AI-sensitive tasks.

That hesitation probably sounds familiar to many people across New York. AI can absolutely save time, especially for organizing and research, but there’s still a lingering feeling that you shouldn’t fully hand over the keys.

The survey found that one in six workers said AI has already caused major problems on the job, including deleted inboxes and inaccurate work.

Americans Are Worried About Surveillance and Government Use

One of the biggest concerns people raised wasn’t about homework or workplace tasks. It was about privacy.

The survey found that 85% of Americans worry about AI surveillance, while 80% said they do not trust the U.S. government to use AI responsibly.

Even more striking, 41% of people surveyed believe AI could eventually lead to a mass surveillance state.

For many New Yorkers, especially in a world already filled with cameras, tracking, targeted ads, and data collection, those fears probably don’t feel all that far-fetched.

Some People Trust AI More Than Human Experts

This is where things get especially interesting. Despite all the concerns, nearly a quarter of Americans surveyed said they would trust AI advice over human expertise.

The report also found that 39% of people use AI for health advice, and 1 in 5 turn to it for mental health recommendations.

That’s a pretty major shift when you think about it. People aren’t just using AI for convenience anymore. In some cases, they’re starting to rely on it for deeply personal decisions.

And that's a bit scary.

ChatGPT May Be the Most Popular, But Not the Most Trusted

The survey found that ChatGPT is the most widely used AI platform in the workplace, followed by Gemini, Copilot, and Claude.

But popularity doesn’t necessarily equal trust.

Among users surveyed, Gemini actually ranked higher in trust than ChatGPT. Researchers found that many people want more transparency about how AI companies use data before they feel fully comfortable embracing these tools.

New Yorkers Are Still Trying to Figure Out Where AI Fits

The overall takeaway from the report feels pretty human. People see the benefits of AI. They use it because it saves time and can make life easier. But there’s still a lot of uncertainty about where all of this is heading.

Some people think AI could improve society. Others think it could become dangerous if the wrong people control it.

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I'm guessing that most people probably fall somewhere in the middle, especially here in New York, where technology moves fast, and skepticism tends to move just as fast right alongside it.