A majority of American adults now say they feel more concerned than excited about artificial intelligence, according to new survey data from the Pew Research Center published this week. The share of adults expressing concern has climbed to 52 percent, marking the first time worries have outweighed enthusiasm since the nonprofit think tank began tracking attitudes toward AI in 2021. The primary driver behind this shift is fear of job displacement, with concerns rising particularly sharply among young adults who previously viewed the technology more favorably.
The survey reveals that 71 percent of US adults now believe AI will result in fewer jobs across the country over the next twenty years, up from 64 percent two years earlier. Only 5 percent expect AI to create more employment opportunities, while 10 percent think it won't make much difference and a slightly larger portion remain uncertain. Among those aged 18 to 29, concern has surged dramatically to 55 percent—up from less than a third in 2021—bringing young adults' worry levels in line with those in their 30s, 40s, and 65-plus age brackets. The number of Americans who feel more excited than concerned has been cut in half since the initial survey, dropping from 18 percent to just 9 percent.
The shift is particularly pronounced among younger workers, with 73 percent of adults under 30 now predicting AI will eliminate jobs, compared to 61 percent two years ago. Adults aged 65 and older show somewhat less pessimism about job losses in the latest survey, though this remains the majority view even in that demographic. Young adults also express broader concerns about AI's societal impact, telling Pew that the technology will make connecting with others more difficult and stifle creativity. Despite most young adults reporting that they use chatbots, they're equally likely to say these tools damage their creativity as enhance it.
Pew points out that employment worries have been present since the organization first began asking about AI in 2021, but back then more people felt excited—or a mix of excitement and concern—than worried. The think tank notes that AI automation is frequently marketed as a substitute for entry-level positions, the type of roles workers under 30 are most likely to be starting their careers in. This explanation helps account for why younger Americans have become significantly more anxious about the technology. The survey data aligns with forecasts from Forrester Research earlier this year that predicted AI and automation could eliminate 6.1 percent of US jobs by 2030.
Americans' growing unease about AI reflects a fundamental tension between the technology's promised efficiency gains and its potential to disrupt livelihoods on a massive scale. The report indicates that adults aged 65 and up remain slightly less likely to anticipate widespread job losses, though pessimism still dominates across every age group surveyed. The findings suggest that as AI moves from abstract possibility to concrete workplace reality, public sentiment has hardened considerably, with fears now clearly outweighing hope for the first time in five years of tracking. For companies and policymakers navigating this shift, the message is clear: enthusiasm for AI has collapsed even among the youngest cohort that was once its strongest supporters, replaced by widespread anxiety about economic security and social connection. The challenge facing industry leaders will be demonstrating whether artificial intelligence can create broadly shared prosperity rather than simply concentrating efficiency gains, while the burden on policymakers grows heavier as constituents across all age groups increasingly expect displacement rather than opportunity.