34% of the US public is now aware of AI xrisk, and the curve is steepening

LessWrong reports that a new survey by the Existential Risk Observatory finds thirty-four percent of U.S. adults now spontaneously name artificial intelligence as a possible cause of human extinction within the next hundred years. That's up from twenty-four percent in December twenty twenty-five, and just seven percent in December twenty twenty-two. The survey asked participants to list three events that could cause extinction, without prompting them about AI. The researchers caution the number is rough, but they see a clear upward trend, possibly tied to AI capabilities acceleration and media attention. They also note that higher awareness often correlates with stronger support for regulation, including a government-mandated pause.

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