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While we struggle to make ends meet, AI is helping make decisions that impact our ability to secure a new job, stable housing, or essential financial services. With protections, AI could open up opportunities that not only help us get by, but actually get ahead. In fact, the vast majority of adults nationwide support policy protections against AI bias and discrimination.
A national survey from The Leadership Conference’s Center for Civil Rights and Technology, in partnership with Voss Research and Strategy, found that across demographics — gender, generation, race, education, political party — and attitudes on AI:
- 75% of adults support requiring companies that use AI for decisions about jobs, loans, and housing to prove that their AI systems do not discriminate based on race, gender, or disability.
- 73% support preventing uses of AI that would discriminate based on income, race, or gender.
- 66% support testing AI systems for racial and gender bias before they can be used in hiring, housing, and lending decisions.
The polling examined people’s support of policies around the use of AI decision-making systems for jobs, loans/lending, and housing. While people struggle to make ends meet, AI is making the difference between who can afford to pay their bills and who can’t.
Preventing AI that would discriminate
People want their government to prevent AI uses that would discriminate based on income, race, or gender. Gen Z, Black, and registered democrat respondents had more intense support.
| Strongly Favor | Total Favor | |
| Total | 56 | 73 |
| Men | 53 | 73 |
| Women | 60 | 73 |
| Gen Z | 61 | 74 |
| Millenial | 53 | 72 |
| Gen X | 53 | 72 |
| Baby Boomer | 58 | 74 |
| White | 56 | 73 |
| Black | 62 | 76 |
| Latino/a | 59 | 73 |
| Asian American | 42 | 70 |
| Indigenous | 58 | 73 |
| Non-college | 57 | 71 |
| College | 56 | 77 |
| Democrat | 65 | 82 |
| Independent | 58 | 74 |
| Republican | 47 | 66 |
Requiring companies prove their AI systems don’t discriminate
In the strongest possible terms, people want government to make companies prove that their AI systems do not discriminate based on race, gender, or disability when used for decisions around jobs, loans, and housing. Among those surveyed, Black and registered democrats showed strongest support.
| Strongly Favor | Total Favor | |
| Total | 53 | 75 |
| Men | 50 | 74 |
| Women | 56 | 76 |
| Gen Z | 54 | 78 |
| Millenial | 50 | 72 |
| Gen X | 52 | 74 |
| Baby Boomer | 55 | 75 |
| White | 50 | 75 |
| Black | 62 | 81 |
| Latino/a | 55 | 69 |
| Asian American | 39 | 63 |
| Indigenous | 51 | 76 |
| Non-college | 53 | 73 |
| College | 54 | 77 |
| Democrat | 63 | 81 |
| Independent | 57 | 77 |
| Republican | 43 | 72 |
Testing AI systems for bias before they can be used
People believe that the government should test AI systems for bias and discrimination before they are used in hiring, housing, and lending decisions. Latinos/as and registered democrats reported the highest intensity of support.
| Strongly Favor | Total Favor | |
| Total | 47 | 66 |
| Men | 43 | 67 |
| Women | 50 | 64 |
| Gen Z | 48 | 63 |
| Millenial | 38 | 61 |
| Gen X | 48 | 69 |
| Baby Boomer | 51 | 68 |
| White | 47 | 67 |
| Black | 53 | 69 |
| Latino/a | 57 | 69 |
| Asian American | 32 | 59 |
| Indigenous | 39 | 57 |
| Non-college | 48 | 64 |
| College | 44 | 71 |
| Democrat | 57 | 74 |
| Independent | 44 | 66 |
| Republican | 41 | 62 |
Attitude on AI
Even people who believe AI will help them support policy safeguards against bias and discrimination.
Individuals who were more optimistic about AI’s impact on their lives were even more supportive of policy proposals to test AI for bias and require companies to prove their AI systems don’t discriminate.
Test AI for Bias
Respondents who believe AI will help them supporting testing AI for bias
- Strongly favor: 45
- Total favor: 74
Respondents who believe AI will neither help nor harm them support testing AI for bias
- Strongly favor: 37
- Total favor: 50
Respondents who believe AI will harm them support testing AI for bias
- Strongly favor: 54
- Total favor: 68
Require companies to prove AI doesn’t discriminate
Respondents who believe AI will help them support requiring companies to prove their AI doesn’t discriminate
- Strongly favor: 54
- Total favor: 81
Respondents who believe AI will neither help nor harm them support requiring companies to prove their AI doesn’t discriminate
- Strongly favor: 41
- Total favor: 68
Respondents who believe AI will harm them support requiring companies to prove their AI doesn’t discriminate
- Strongly favor: 5
- Total favor: 73
About the survey
This online survey was conducted May 13-20, 2026, of 1000 adults nationwide with oversamples of 100 Black adults, 100 Latino/a adults, 100 Asian American Pacific Islander adults, and 100 Indigenous adults. The overall survey error is +/-3.1% at the 95% confidence interval and is higher for subgroups.