A new POLITICO poll revealed broad American skepticism toward artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency just as super PACs backed by those industries poured tens of millions of dollars into the 2026 midterm primaries.

The survey, conducted by Public First from April 11 to 14, polled 2,035 U.S. adults online. Results were weighted for age, race, gender, geography, and education, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points. On cryptocurrency, 45 percent of respondents said investing in it is not worth the risk despite potential high returns. Nearly half trusted traditional banks more than crypto platforms with their money, while only 17 percent preferred crypto platforms. More than half said they have never bought or traded cryptocurrency and would not consider doing so.

Skepticism toward AI was similarly strong. Forty-four percent said the technology is developing too quickly, and 43 percent believed its risks outweigh the benefits. Nearly half expected AI to eliminate more jobs than it creates. Two-thirds favored lawmakers imposing strict regulations or broad oversight principles on the industry. The concerns crossed party lines, with pluralities of 2024 Donald Trump and Kamala Harris voters expressing unease about both technologies.

Despite this wariness, pro-industry super PACs have moved aggressively. Fairshake, the leading pro-crypto group funded by Coinbase, Andreessen Horowitz, and Ripple Labs, entered the cycle with about $193 million on hand. Its network has spent roughly $28 million across competitive primaries so far. Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC launched last August and backed by Andreessen Horowitz, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, raised more than $75.5 million through March 31. It has supported candidates in House primaries in North Carolina, Texas, Illinois, and New York, targeting both Democrats and Republicans.

The group aims to elect lawmakers favorable to lighter federal regulations. Crypto advocates push the stalled CLARITY Act for digital asset oversight, while AI backers seek a national framework to avoid conflicting state laws and maintain U.S. competitiveness against China. Awareness of the PACs remains low, however, with only 9 percent of Americans familiar with Leading the Future and 3 percent knowing Fairshake.

Industry influence has shown mixed early results. In recent primaries, AI- and crypto-backed candidates won some races but faced setbacks, such as in Illinois. A separate CoinDesk survey of 1,000 registered voters found cryptocurrency ranked near the bottom of voter priorities at just 1 percent, far behind issues like the cost of living.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., suggested Democrats highlight the spending. "People do not want AI companies to run them over culturally and economically. They don’t trust crypto," he said. Leading the Future spokesperson Jesse Hunt countered that a national AI framework is needed to counter China. Former Ohio Rep. Jim Renacci noted crypto groups as a "disruptive force" but akin to other outside money.

As primaries continue, the tension between voter doubts and industry cash could shape races, especially if the funding sources gain more visibility.