Spring 2026 Vanderbilt Statewide Poll finds widespread economic anxiety, skepticism in artificial intelligence – The Vanderbilt Hustler

Spring 2026 Vanderbilt Statewide Poll finds widespread economic anxiety, skepticism in artificial intelligence – The Vanderbilt Hustler

https://vanderbilthustler.com/2026/06/05/spring-2026-vanderbilt-statewide-poll-finds-widespread-economic-anxiety-skepticism-in-artificial-intelligence/

Publish Date: 2026-06-05 16:33:00

Source Domain: vanderbilthustler.com

• Poll Overview: The Spring 2026 Vanderbilt statewide poll surveyed 1,203 registered Tennessee voters and is focused on the economy, artificial intelligence in healthcare, elected officials, and international and domestic concerns. It has a margin of error of ±3.2%.

• Economic Anxiety: There is widespread concern about the rising cost of living among Tennesseans with half describing it as “very expensive”. This economic anxiety spans across political affiliations regardless of whether one is a liberal Democrat or a Republican.

• Political Sentiment: On a state level, 49% of respondents believe Tennessee is on the wrong track. Nationally, the sentiment is more negative with 58% believing the U.S. is on the wrong track. Trump’s approval ratings have dropped 7%, particularly among independents.

• AI in Healthcare Concern: The survey indicates overall support for AI in healthcare, with nearly 60% of Republicans and 54% of Democrats comfortable with AI assistance. However, there’s strong preference for human interactions over complete AI replacement and significant concern about data privacy.

• Approval Ratings: Approval for Gov. Bill Lee, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, and Sen. Bill Hagerty has remained relatively stable and has declined only about 3% since November 2025.

• Domestic Priorities: The poll illustrates a consensus among Tennessee voters favoring the prioritization of domestic issues over international conflicts, a view shared across party lines.

• AI Integration Preferences: Most Tennesseans support AI to assist in improving healthcare access and making processes more efficient but prefer human doctors over AI, emphasizing concerns over privacy and human interaction in medical care. 68% are concerned about health data privacy.

• AI vs. Human Error: Despite concerns, 54% believe AI can make some healthcare processes more efficient, and 60% believe it is important for AI to minimize human errors.