Pew: 52% of Americans now more concerned than excited about AI
TL;DR
- Pew's 2026 survey finds 52% of US adults are more concerned than excited about the growing use of AI in daily life, up from 37% in 2021.
- 71% now expect AI to shrink US employment over the next two decades, up from 64% in 2024; only 5% expect more jobs.
- For the first time, a majority of under-30s (55%) are more concerned than excited about AI, up from 42% in 2023.
A new Pew Research Center survey finds 52% of US adults now say they are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in daily life, up from 37% in 2021. Just 9% say they are more excited than concerned.
Job displacement is the sharpest driver. Pew reports that "71% of adults think AI will lead to fewer jobs in the United States over the next two decades, up from 64% in 2024," while only 5% expect AI to add jobs, The Register reported.
The biggest shift is among young adults. For the first time, a majority of adults under 30 (55%) say they are more concerned than excited, up from 47% in 2025 and 42% in 2023. Their expectation that AI will cut jobs jumped from 61% in 2024 to 73% this year, closing what used to be a generational gap in AI enthusiasm.
Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026. Two of the analysts we track in our Who's Who circulated the results within a day of publication.
Shared on Bluesky by 2 AI experts
Originally reported by theregister.com
Read the original article →Original headline: More than half of Americans now view AI negatively