According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in February–May 2026 among 13 696 adults in 12 countries, the median level of trust in China to effectively regulate artificial intelligence was 43%. For the United States, this figure stands at 35%, and for the European Union at 34%.
The survey covered predominantly middle-income countries according to the World Bank classification: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the West Bank of the Jordan River and East Jerusalem, Singapore, Chile, Thailand, Ghana, Peru, Colombia, and the Philippines. In five of them — Bangladesh, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the West Bank — China enjoys the greatest trust.
The link between overall attitudes toward a country and trust in its ability to regulate AI is clearly evident. In middle-income countries, views of China are generally more positive than in high-income countries, which correlates directly with a willingness to trust Beijing with matters of technology oversight.
Unlike the 2025 survey, in which the European Union led in 25 countries, the current data show a shift in preferences specifically in middle-income states. There, trust in one's own governments is often higher than in external players, but among international options China comes out ahead.
Pew's methodology emphasizes that trust was measured with a question about the ability to "effectively regulate artificial intelligence." The responses "somewhat trust" and "completely trust" were combined. The sample is representative of the adult population of each country, but does not include the United States, China, or EU countries themselves.
For comparison: in Pew's previous 2025 studies, median trust in the EU was 53%, in the US 37%, and in China only 27%. The shift to predominantly middle-income countries changed the picture, reflecting differences in geopolitical priorities and perceptions of China.
This distribution of trust has direct implications for global AI governance. Countries where China enjoys greater trust may lean toward participating in Beijing's standards initiatives, such as ethical frameworks or data-sharing mechanisms, rather than Western approaches.
The question of exactly how these preferences will affect future international agreements remains open. Independent verification through repeat surveys and analysis of specific regulatory proposals is so far lacking.
Ultimately, Pew's data show that in middle-income countries China is perceived as a more reliable partner in AI regulation than the US or the EU, and this perception is closely tied to overall attitudes toward the country.
