5 shocking findings about voter attitudes toward tech from the new POLITICO Poll

5 shocking findings about voter attitudes toward tech from the new POLITICO Poll. Political groups with a lot of money that are connected to AI and cryptocurrency are spending millions on the 2026 midterms. However, new polls show that most voters are not very positive about technology. This could cause problems for candidates who get that money.

According to an April poll by the independent firm Public First for The POLITICO Poll, 45% of Americans say investing in crypto is not worth the risk even if it pays off big, and 44% say AI is moving too quickly. Almost half of Americans trust a regular bank more than a crypto platform, but only 17% trust the other way around. Two-thirds of people want lawmakers to make strict rules or at least set general rules for the AI industry. Super PACs like Leading the Future (which has raised over $75 million) and Fairshake (which has spent $75 million) are taking over the political battlefield. The gap between financial power and public comfort could make voters angry.

How voter attitudes toward tech challenge AI and crypto super PACs

The polls show that if Americans get tired of spending a lot of money, their skepticism could turn into outright opposition. In hypothetical matchups, people were much less likely to choose candidates who were supported by a group that wanted looser AI rules than candidates who were supported by a group that wanted stricter rules. Voters also liked a group that cared about the environment. Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator from Connecticut, has called for AI regulation. He said, “People don’t want AI companies to run them over culturally and economically.” They don’t believe in crypto. A plurality of 41 percent of Americans already think that special interest groups have too much power in politics.

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Even though they have a lot of money for their campaigns, most people don’t know about the AI and crypto super PACs. Only 9% have heard of Leading the Future and only 3% have heard of Fairshake. At the same time, 48% of people know the National Rifle Association and 36% know the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Jim Renacci, a former Republican representative from Ohio, said, “A lot of people don’t judge it until they know where the money is coming from.” But if they see that someone is backed by crypto, that’s always going to be a problem because they don’t understand crypto and most of them say they aren’t comfortable with it.

Both parties are worried: Voter attitudes toward tech cross party lines

People from all political parties are worried about AI and crypto. A lot of people who voted for President Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 say that investing in crypto is not worth the risk. Almost half of both groups—49% of Harris voters and 46% of Trump voters—think AI is growing too quickly. More than half of Americans say they have never bought or traded cryptocurrency and would never think about doing so. About half of the people who answered said AI is likely to take away more jobs than it creates, and 43 percent said the risks are greater than the benefits.

Jason Thielman, who used to be the executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said that “the issue is somewhat mixed from a public opinion perspective.” He said that the AI industry needs to “educate the public” about the threats to national security that China poses. The crypto industry is also pushing for the CLARITY Act, a bill in the Senate that would change the way the market works. They hope it will give them more legitimacy. Senator Murphy said, “The best thing Democrats can do is make their spending an issue.” Two-thirds of Americans want rules for AI, and 45 percent of voters are wary of crypto. Candidates who support these industries may find that voters’ feelings about tech become a key factor in November.