A majority of young Americans view artificial intelligence (AI) as a threat to their future employment, with 59% seeing it as a risk to their job prospects, according to a new Harvard Youth Poll of 2,040 people aged 18 to 29.
The concern about AI surpasses traditional anxieties about job loss. Just 48% identified outsourcing to other countries as a threat, while only 31% expressed worry about immigration affecting their employment opportunities.
The pessimism extends beyond job security. Nearly half of respondents, 44%, believe AI will eliminate opportunities rather than create them. Only 14% expect the technology to generate new possibilities. Another 17% anticipate no change, while 23% remain uncertain.
Democrats showed sharper skepticism than Republicans, with 52% of young Democrats expecting fewer opportunities compared to 37% of Republicans. Both parties largely agreed on employment threats, with 66% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans viewing AI as a threat to job prospects.
Young people also question whether AI will make their work lives better. Forty-one percent said the technology would make work less meaningful, while just 14% predicted it would add meaning. Nineteen percent saw no difference coming, and 25% were unsure.
Despite these concerns, many young Americans are adopting AI tools. More than half, 52%, trust AI to help complete school or work assignments. College students showed even higher confidence at 63%. However, trust dropped significantly for personal matters, with only 25% trusting AI for medical advice and 18% for mental health support.
The poll was conducted November 3-7 with a margin of error of 2.94%.
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed, edited, and published by humans.
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The concern about AI surpasses traditional anxieties about job loss. Just 48% identified outsourcing to other countries as a threat, while only 31% expressed worry about immigration affecting their employment opportunities.
The pessimism extends beyond job security. Nearly half of respondents, 44%, believe AI will eliminate opportunities rather than create them. Only 14% expect the technology to generate new possibilities. Another 17% anticipate no change, while 23% remain uncertain.
Democrats showed sharper skepticism than Republicans, with 52% of young Democrats expecting fewer opportunities compared to 37% of Republicans. Both parties largely agreed on employment threats, with 66% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans viewing AI as a threat to job prospects.
Young people also question whether AI will make their work lives better. Forty-one percent said the technology would make work less meaningful, while just 14% predicted it would add meaning. Nineteen percent saw no difference coming, and 25% were unsure.
Despite these concerns, many young Americans are adopting AI tools. More than half, 52%, trust AI to help complete school or work assignments. College students showed even higher confidence at 63%. However, trust dropped significantly for personal matters, with only 25% trusting AI for medical advice and 18% for mental health support.
The poll was conducted November 3-7 with a margin of error of 2.94%.
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed, edited, and published by humans.
Read next: Google Year in Search 2025 Shows Rise in Conversational Query Patterns
