Most Americans Worry About Sharing Data With AI – Here’s How to Protect Yourself

Intro

As artificial intelligence tools become part of everyday life—answering questions, writing emails, generating images—a quiet unease is spreading. Recent surveys show that a clear majority of Americans are uncomfortable with how their personal data is used when they interact with AI services. That discomfort is not abstract. It reflects real concerns about control, consent, and what companies do with the information people hand over without thinking.

What Happened

In June 2026, Digital Information World reported on a survey finding that 72% of Americans are concerned about sharing their data with AI tools. That figure aligns with earlier research from the Pew Research Center. In October 2023, Pew found that 67% of Americans feel they have little to no control over the data companies collect about them—and that was before generative AI became widespread.

The new survey didn’t just ask about general worry. It dug into specific anxieties: what kinds of data people are most protective of, and who they trust to handle it. The results suggest that trust in companies is low, and many people want stronger regulation, not voluntary corporate promises.

While one survey does not capture every nuance, the consistency across multiple polls points to a persistent public sentiment. People are increasingly aware that every prompt typed into an AI chatbot, every uploaded document, and every voice command passes through servers that may store, analyze, or train future models on that information.

Why It Matters

User sentiment is not just a curiosity. It shapes how companies design their products and how lawmakers draft rules. When a large majority feels uneasy, consumer pressure can lead to changes like clearer privacy policies, opt-out options, and even new legislation at the state or federal level. Already, we see some AI companies offering ways to disable training on personal data, and the European Union’s AI Act is pushing for more transparency.

But the gap remains: many people use AI tools without realizing what data is collected, how long it is kept, or whether it can be deleted. That lack of awareness is exactly what these surveys highlight. Without action from users, companies have little incentive to go beyond minimum compliance.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t have to stop using AI tools to protect your privacy. Here are concrete steps you can take right now:

  • Review privacy settings in every AI service you use. Whether it’s ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft Copilot, or an image generator like Midjourney, look for “data controls,” “privacy center,” or “settings” sections. Many services allow you to turn off training based on your conversations.
  • Opt out of data training when available. Some platforms let you disable the use of your inputs for model improvement. This does not always stop all logging, but it reduces exposure.
  • Avoid sharing sensitive personal information. Even if you trust the company, treat AI tools like any public-facing service. Do not paste passwords, financial details, health records, or private documents.
  • Use temporary or disposable accounts for testing new AI tools. That way, any data collected is not tied to your main identity.
  • Consider privacy-focused alternatives. Open-source models that run locally (like Llama on your own machine) or paid versions with stronger privacy commitments may be worth the trade-off for sensitive work.
  • Check what data you can delete. Many services let you view and delete your chat history. Make a habit of clearing it periodically.

A longer-term step is to support clearer privacy laws. Contacting your representatives about AI regulation can help create a baseline that benefits everyone.

Sources

  • Digital Information World, “How Americans Feel About Sharing Their Data With AI,” June 2026.
  • Pew Research Center, “Key findings about Americans and data privacy,” October 2023.
  • Pew Research Center (related: “Many Americans Pessimistic about AI’s Impact – and Want More Regulation,” May 2026).

These sources provide the data referenced above. No new claims have been added beyond what the surveys report.