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Reality Signal

Artwork 05 · Agency / Control

You can want help and still want control.

A willingness to delegate does not settle who sets the boundaries.

The research

61%

of surveyed US adults wanted more control over how AI is used in their lives.

What is known

Pew Research Center (opens in a new tab) surveyed 5,023 US adults on 9–15 June 2025. Its weighted survey found that 61% wanted more control over AI use in their lives. The research records a desire for control, alongside openness to assistance.

What the research does not show

This is a US opinion survey, not a test of agent errors or actual oversight. It does not establish how often people approve actions without reading or whether a final approval button is sufficient.

Open question

When does saying yes stop being a decision?

Sources · checked 05.10.2026

  1. Pew Research CenterAI in Americans’ lives: Awareness, experiences and attitudes, 2025.Read the source (opens in a new tab)
  2. Pew Research CenterHow Americans View AI and Its Impact on People and Society: survey method, 2025.Read the source (opens in a new tab)

Stands beside one artwork

The film turns the wish to retain control into a mundane situation: a person has the final say but is no longer paying attention. That connection is the artwork’s interpretation, not a causal finding of the survey.