Chatbots for youth mental health and spending slumps

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll

One Interesting Stat: Dollar General is attracting higher-income households, CEO Todd Vasos told analysts during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Tuesday. Surprisingly, Americans have equal anxiety about the economy, with one point separating those making under $50k HHI (82%) or over $100k+ (81%). (May 31-June 1 fielding) 

We have four new stories from our polling this week: 

1. Younger Americans are increasingly turning to new tools for their mental health, including AI chatbots (American Psychological Association).  
2. Economic uncertainty has led many to cut back spending (Bloomberg).  
3. Americans think AI in the hands of more companies is safer and more beneficial to society (with Digital Currency Group). 
4. Diving into the anxieties and myths of homebuying (with KB Home).

Young People Turn To AI Chatbots For Their Mental Health: APA-Harris Poll

While conversations about mental health become more open, many younger adults are still struggling, according to our latest polling with the American Psychological Association. 

• Cultural progress: A majority of U.S. adults (51%) feel positive about their mental health right now, and most (83%) are comfortable talking about it. 
• However, younger adults are less comfortable (18-34: 23% vs. 35+: 14%), and over half (52%) have withheld information from friends or healthcare providers. 
• And nearly six in ten (59%) younger adults reported seeking professional mental health care, yet only (43%) were able to receive it. 
• Finding new ways to open up: More than half of young adults (52%) would feel comfortable discussing mental health with an AI chatbot, compared to older adults (26%) or anonymously (30%). 

Takeaway: “In an age where oversharing is the norm and economic concerns are high, young Americans are turning to different pathways for mental health support. Our research shows a clear desire among younger generations to engage with care on their terms — sometimes anonymously, digitally, or outside traditional systems,” said Libby Rodney, Harris Poll Chief Strategy Officer at The Harris Poll. “This represents a fundamental shift in how the next generation is navigating mental wellness challenges when traditional care remains financially out of reach or misaligned with their needs.” 

Americans Say They Are Cutting Back On Their Spending: Bloomberg-Harris Poll

Concerned about a recession and experiencing tariff anxiety, many American consumers are preemptively reducing their spending, as indicated in our recent polling with Bloomberg.  

• Three in five Americans (62%) reported cutting back due to concerns about a potential recession, with a fifth (16%) saying they haven’t yet but expect to soon.  
• What’s fun is the first to go: Among those curtailing spending, more than (70%) say they are eating out less, and (57% report spending less on entertainment. 
• And although half (51%) say they already have summer travel plans booked, over a third (36%) have fewer trips booked than a year ago.  

Takeaway: Major retailers are raising their pricing and bracing for fallout. Walmart said this month that shoppers will start to see higher prices as it begins to pass on the costs of newer (tariff-laden) merchandise. Price increases “are happening right now, and they’ll become more obvious,” Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said in an interview with Bloomberg News. 

AI Should Go Beyond Big Tech’s Grasp: DCG-Harris Poll

Concerns about bias and misuse lead Americans to want more companies to implement AI, not fewer, according to our poll with Digital Currency Group (DCG), featured in Coindoo.  

• Three-quarters of the American public (75%) believe AI would benefit more people if its development were not monopolized by a handful of large corporations, with support among both Democrats and Republicans.  
• Two-thirds (67%) view centralized AI systems as more biased than decentralized ones, and nearly six in 10 see AI as a public utility that should remain broadly accessible rather than tightly regulated. 
• Notably, Big Tech companies are among the least trusted when it comes to decision-making regarding AI use and development, with only elected officials being less trustworthy. 
• We found in May’s Axios Harris Poll 100 that most Americans (77%) want companies to create AI slowly and get it right the first time.  

Takeaway: DCG policy head Julie Stitzel says, “Americans see more potential for progress and fairness in open, decentralized AI systems. Three-quarters of Americans agree the transformative power of AI should be shared,” reinforcing the sentiment that current AI leadership skews too heavily toward powerful private interests.

Homeowning Hangups: KB Home-Harris Poll

It’s National Homeownership Month, and our latest research with KB Home reveals that homeownership comes with both its anxieties and misconceptions.  

• Homeownership remains a milestone worth achieving: Most Americans (83%) still believe that homeownership is a significant milestone.  
• Yet, an even greater number (89%) feel anxious about affordability and the homebuying process, with fears around being able to afford a home (44%), taking on more debt (41%), and buying a money pit (30%).  
• Mortgage myths: Nearly half didn’t know (49%) or were unsure about (44%) the meaning of PMI, while only 37% knew that a minimum down payment of 20% isn’t required.  

Takeaway: “This year’s survey shows that the dream of owning a home is still very real, even if many people are unsure how to get there,” said Rob McGibney, President and Chief Operating Officer of KB Home. Especially when they feel the market isn’t what it once was, as over half (54%) believe they’re in a worse position to buy a home today than prospective buyers of prior generations.