NRG Launches AI Observatory, a Monthly Tracker of How AI Shows Up in the Daily Lives of American Adults
Key Highlights
- ➤NRG launches monthly AI Observatory tracker surveying roughly 1,000 US adults.
- ➤National AI Proximity Score reaches 42 out of 100.
- ➤86% of high-proximity adults expect AI to benefit society, versus 27% of low-proximity adults.
- ➤ChatGPT (+48) and Gemini (+46) lead AI-company momentum among weekly users.
- ➤Claude scores +48 among AI Trailblazers, versus +24 among weekly users.
Expert Statements
David Byler, Vice President at National Research Group
“I spent years covering politics and elections, studying the social, demographic, and cultural currents that shape what people think and feel. AI has, almost overnight, gone from fiction to one of the core forces shaping American life. It is upstream of nearly everything else, which is why we are investing the resources needed to understand what it is changing and why.”
Rob Barrish, Head of Technology Strategy at National Research Group
“AI is fast becoming part of people's daily routines, leaving businesses to make consequential decisions about products and customer relationships without a clear picture of what people value or trust. NRG's experience across technology, entertainment, and culture gives us a distinctive understanding of how people make new products and experiences part of their lives. AI Observatory gives leaders evidence now, while they can still shape the experiences that will determine how people adopt AI.”
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / November 12, 2026 / National Research Group (NRG), a Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW) company, today launched AI Observatory, a monthly tracker of how artificial intelligence fits into everyday life for US adults. Each month, AI Observatory surveys roughly 1,000 US adults ages 18 to 64, weighted to reflect national demographics, on what they use AI for, how they feel about using it, and how they understand the technology. A parallel survey of roughly 100 AI Trailblazers, drawn from NRG's proprietary panel of AI superusers, adds the view of people who live ahead of the curve.
Much AI polling focuses on abstract social and political concerns or on how often people use AI. Both matter, but they can miss the lived experience. Many people express concern about AI's effect on jobs and society, yet tend to feel positive once they use it. NRG built AI Observatory to close that gap.
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