Young Americans Become More Hostile to AI, Fearing Job Losses

The youngest members of the US workforce are increasingly skeptical about artificial intelligence, fearful that advances in the technology will lead to widespread job losses, according to a Pew Research Center survey.

The majority of adults under 30 say they are more concerned than excited about AI for the first time since Pew began its survey in 2021. That matches most other age groups, but the youngest cohort has strikingly evolved from being the most taken with AI’s potential to being among the most skeptical of the technology, according to the June data.

Almost three-quarters of adults in that bracket also think the technology will mean fewer available jobs, up from 61% two years ago, according to the survey.

The findings are further evidence of younger Americans’ complex relationship with AI. They are among the technology’s most fluent users, but are also entering the workforce just as it threatens to erode the junior roles that conventionally provide a foothold into the labor market.

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Their concerns echo across the population, with more than half of Americans saying they’re concerned by AI, according to Pew. Still, those who are well-established in the workplace are increasingly positive about AI, lending weight to theories that the technology advantages those with experience.

The precise impact of AI on hiring in the US has been difficult to quantify, with a boom in adoption coinciding with a weaker economy. The technology also may automate some parts of a job, but not all. There are indications that early-stage hiring has slowed, and American executives have spoken openly about AI saving money by automating some parts of the workforce.