Business challenge
As artificial intelligence’s impact on the world continues to grow, Anthropic wanted to understand what Americans hope the technology will deliver, what they fear, and how they expect it to be developed and governed.
Anthropic needed evidence that accurately represented real people, including those who do not regularly use AI, and could provide a clearer picture of the public expectations that Anthropic and the wider industry would need to meet.
Solution & research results
Anthropic selected YouGov to support this ambitious research project, in part because of YouGov’s global panel of 30+ million members, trusted reputation, and ease of data delivery.
YouGov conducted the first wave of the Anthropic Public Record, surveying 51,993 Americans aged 16 and over between November 1 and December 11, 2025.
The research covered all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico through 52 parallel state and territory samples. This scale allowed Anthropic to examine national attitudes and differences across states and demographic groups.
Nearly half of Americans (48%) ranked curing diseases like cancer or Alzheimer’s as one of the top three hopes for AI, followed by helping people with disabilities (36%). Meanwhile, 64% cited job loss as their most common fear. The research also found that 70% of Americans believed the government should play a role in AI regulation, reflecting bipartisan support.
Business outcomes
The first wave of the study gave Anthropic a detailed baseline for tracking American attitudes toward AI and informed the brand positioning behind its first Super Bowl ad campaign.
According to Anthropic’s head of brand, the campaign began with a broader effort to understand what people wanted from AI, rather than with an advertising concept. The YouGov research provided important insights into the concerns shaping public trust and helped ground the campaign in real attitudes toward the technology.
By delivering nationally representative findings alongside extensive state-level samples, YouGov gave Anthropic a credible foundation for communicating with the public, developing its brand strategy and tracking how attitudes toward AI evolve over time.
The second wave of Anthropic’s public research initiative is underway, expanding to many more markets beyond the U.S.