AI and Human Enhancement: Americans’ Openness Is Tempered by a Range of Concerns
Public views are tied to how these technologies would be used and what constraints would be in place.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Americans’ Trust in Scientists, Other Groups Declines
Trust in scientists and medical scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with 29% of U.S. adults saying they have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the best interests of the public. This is down from 40% in November 2020 and 35% in January 2019, before COVID-19 emerged. Other prominent groups – including the military, police officers and public school principals – have also seen their ratings decline.
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Trust in America: Do Americans trust the police?
While views of and experiences with police vary substantially across demographic groups, there is support for a number of police reforms.
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Americans differ from people in other societies over some aspects of U.S. ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ power
While Americans see some aspects of U.S. power more positively than people elsewhere, they offer more negative views in other areas.
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U.S. veterans have mixed views of Afghanistan withdrawal but are highly critical of how Biden handled it
Veterans and non-veterans in the United States largely align when it comes to the decision to pull all troops out of Afghanistan.
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Americans blame unfair news coverage on media outlets, not the journalists who work for them
About eight-in-ten Americans (79%) say news organizations tend to favor one side when presenting the news on political and social issues.
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Americans have heard more about clashes between police and protesters than other recent news stories
The public is more likely to have heard “a lot” about ongoing confrontations between police and protesters than several other stories.
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Majority of Public Favors Giving Civilians the Power to Sue Police Officers for Misconduct
While declining shares give police forces positive marks for their use of force, treatment of racial groups and officer accountability, there is little support for cuts in spending on local policing.
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Fast facts about how Americans and Germans see security issues amid Trump’s plan to reduce troop levels
Americans are much more likely than Germans to see U.S. bases in Germany as important for their country’s national security.
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A month before George Floyd’s death, black and white Americans differed sharply in confidence in the police
In April, 78% of Americans overall – but 56% of black Americans – said they had confidence in police officers to act in the public’s best interests.
