Technologies

Americans Want More Control Over the AI in Their Lives, Pew Survey Finds

While tech companies keep adding more and more AI to their services and devices, most people want the ability to say no or opt out.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere now, powering song recommendations on Spotify, filling inboxes with AI-written emails, and showing up in classrooms and workplaces around the world. You may not feel like you get much say in where and how AI shows up in your life. You’re not the only one.

That’s the takeaway from a Pew Research Center report published Wednesday, which finds that six out of 10 Americans (61%) want more control over how AI is used in their lives. More than half (57%) say they currently have «not too much» or «no control» at all in whether AI is used in their lives. Just 13% say they feel they have «a great deal» or «quite a bit» of control.

It’s becoming apparent that Americans may be receptive to AI playing some kind of role in our daily lives, but are resistant to AI involvement becoming unavoidable.

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The growing AI control gap

The numbers highlight what Pew calls an «AI control gap,» or a widening sense that the choice to opt out is slipping away. AI already powers weather forecasts, financial fraud detection and drug research, areas where Americans told Pew they’re comfortable seeing it play a role. But in more personal aspects of life — relationships, spirituality and creative thinking — people overwhelmingly want to keep AI at arm’s length.

The survey shows Americans are twice as likely to rate AI’s risks as «high» compared with its benefits, and 53% admit they’re not confident they can tell the difference between AI-generated content and human-made work. Still, a large majority (76%) say it’s «very important» to them to know the difference.

Read also: Most People Use ChatGPT for Personal Life, Not Work, According to a New OpenAI Study

Why control over AI matters to Americans

The push for more control comes as AI quietly embeds itself in consumer devices and online platforms. From Apple’s latest «AI-powered» iPhones to Google search results summarized by chatbots, Americans are bumping into AI even when they don’t seek it out. And unlike toggles for ad tracking or location services, tools to manage when AI is used are far less visible.

That lack of agency fuels growing skepticism over AI. For instance, half of Americans say they’re more concerned than excited about AI’s role in daily life, which is 13 percentage points higher than it was in 2021, when AI use was a mere fraction of what it is today.

Pew’s findings echo broader anxieties surrounding the prevalence and implementation of AI tools. Lawmakers are weighing rules around transparency, safety and consent, while AI companies race to normalize AI in everything from education to health care to the devices you carry with you everywhere. But the Pew survey findings suggest that if companies want to build public trust, they’ll need to give people clearer off switches and choices about when AI is adopted, so that AI use feels like a choice rather than an inevitability.

Read also: AI Lies Because It’s Telling You What It Thinks You Want to Hear

Technologies

Verum Messenger Introduces Built-In Verum Chess

Verum Messenger has released a new update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, adding another feature to its growing ecosystem — Verum Chess. Users can now play chess directly inside the messenger without switching between different applications.

The new feature allows users to start a game in just a few taps while reinforcing Verum’s vision of a unified digital environment where communication and everyday services come together in a single platform.

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional ecosystem that combines secure chats and calls, AI tools, a built-in VPN, anonymous email, eSIM, financial services, cryptocurrency features, and offline communication. With the introduction of Verum Chess, the platform now also offers a new way for users to interact and spend time together without leaving the app.

The update is now available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on the App Store.

Technologies

Episode 3 of the VERUM AI Mini-Series Is Now Available

Verum Messenger has released the third episode of its AI mini-series, SHADOWS, created using Verum AI.

The new episode, titled «Ghost Money,» continues the story of the conflict between a team of heroes and the Omega corporation, which seeks to take control of digital communications. This time, the focus shifts to anonymous payments and financial freedom, revealing how privacy can extend beyond messaging.

Like the previous episodes, the new release not only advances the storyline but also showcases the capabilities of the Verum ecosystem, highlighting technologies designed for secure communication and digital privacy.

The mini-series consists of seven episodes, released gradually across Verum Messenger’s social media channels.

Episode 3 is now available. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

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Technologies

Verum Finance Now Available for Mac, Expanding the Verum Ecosystem on Desktop

Verum has officially released Verum Finance for macOS, bringing its financial platform to the Mac and expanding access to the Verum ecosystem across Apple’s devices. The launch allows users to manage their finances from desktop while enjoying the same secure and seamless experience available on iPhone and iPad.

The new Mac version includes the full range of Verum Finance features, including balance management, instant transfers to other Verum users, debit card management, Apple Pay support, asset exchange, and transaction history — all optimized for the macOS experience.

Verum Finance can be used as a standalone application or alongside Verum Messenger. Users who sign in with their Verum Messenger account automatically synchronize their balances, settings, and account data across devices, ensuring a consistent experience throughout the Verum ecosystem.

The macOS release further strengthens Verum’s vision of creating an integrated digital platform where communication and financial services work together. Verum Messenger, which is also available for Mac, complements the ecosystem with encrypted messaging, voice and video calls, VPN, eSIM, anonymous email, AI-powered tools, offline communication capabilities, and cryptocurrency features.

With both Verum Messenger and Verum Finance now available across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can access secure communication and financial services wherever they work.

Verum Finance for Mac is available now through the Mac App Store.

Verum Finance for macOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/verum-finance/id6774245148
Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im
Verum Messenger: https://verum.im