AI researchers have been advancing socially intelligent AI agents (Social-AI) across embodiments, from chatbots to physical robots. As Social-AI agents move from labs into everyday settings, understanding public perceptions and acceptance of Social-AI agents becomes increasingly important to advance agents that support human well-being. We present findings from a mixed-methods survey of United States adults (N=200) that examined whether participants perceive current AI agents as socially intelligent, abilities signaling social intelligence in agents, layperson acceptance of agents across contexts and embodiments, and concerns about Social-AI agents. We find that participants attributed social intelligence to AI agents with judgments grounded in observable agent behavior. We identified a support-adoption gap in acceptability judgments, with participants supporting the existence of Social-AI agents for others far more than for their own use. We contribute a novel analysis of layperson concerns and reservations about Social-AI to inform responsible design, deployment, and evaluation of these technologies.

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