Americans who use artificial intelligence (AI) tools every day are the only group using the rapidly developing technology to give President Donald Trump a net positive approval rating, a new Rainey Center poll has found. It comes as debate intensifies over how, or whether, AI should be regulated, with Trump recently voicing opposition to additional AI restrictions. The data offers a fresh glimpse into the political attitudes of one of the fastest-growing technology user groups in the United States.
AI has quickly moved from a niche technology to a mainstream tool used by millions of Americans. As policymakers, tech executives and candidates increasingly clash over regulation, understanding how AI users view political leaders could become an important indicator of future political coalitions. A newly released survey from the Rainey Center has identified a striking divide in public opinion toward Trump based on how frequently Americans use artificial intelligence tools.
According to crosstab data from the poll, daily AI users are Trump's strongest constituency on the approval question and the only usage group where approval exceeds disapproval. Among respondents who said they use AI tools every day, 54 percent approved of Trump's performance while 45 percent disapproved, giving him a net approval rating of plus 9 points. Support dropped sharply among less frequent users.
Weekly AI users approved of Trump by 32 percent to 67 percent, a net rating of minus 35. Monthly users were even more negative, with 24 percent approval and 74 percent disapproval, producing a net score of minus 50. Respondents who said they rarely use AI tools gave Trump a 43 percent approval rating and 54 percent disapproval rating, while those who never use AI tools recorded a 45 percent approval rating and 54 percent disapproval rating.
The Rainey Center survey found that 52 percent of voters use AI tools at least monthly, illustrating how quickly the technology has entered everyday life. The findings come from the Rainey Center's September Policy Survey, conducted between September 10 and September 14, 2026, among 1,004 registered voters using an online panel. The poll was weighted by age, gender, race, education, 2024 vote recall and region.
It carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points for the full sample. From a traditional electoral perspective, the result is surprising because Trump's strongest support is often associated with older voters and Americans less engaged with emerging technologies. Instead, the survey suggests the president performs best among the people interacting most frequently with AI systems.
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