AI optimism fades among young adults
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A majority of U.S. adults under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AI's growing use in daily life, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday.
Why it matters: AI excitement has dropped off across all age groups since 2021, as concerns about the technology's impact on job availability and society have grown.
By the numbers: About 55% of adults under 30 say they're more concerned than excited about AI, a 24-point increase from 2021, when Pew first started asking the question.
- Roughly 1 in ten say they're more excited about AI embedded in daily life, while a third feel both equally.
- That's more in line with other age groups: 51% of adults ages 30–49 feel more concerned, as do 47% of those ages 50–64 and 59% of those 65 and older.
Zoom in: Seventy-three percent of adults under 30 say they expect AI will take away jobs over the next two decades, up from 61% in 2024.
- That's comparable to the 71% of adults who think the same, up from 64% in 2024.
- The 65+ age group is the least likely to think AI will reduce jobs, with 63% saying so, a five-point increase from 2024.
Catch up quick: About 27% of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe they or someone they know has lost a job due to AI, according to a new Axios-Generation Lab poll.
- Hiring of younger white-collar workers has slowed, with unemployment among college graduates under 29 increasing 3.1% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 3.7% since 2022.
Reality check: Research indicates AI job losses happen far less often than people think, but alarming headlines and predictions of an impending job-loss bloodbath are clearly influencing the bad vibes.
- Some reporting indicates remote work — and employers being less inclined to train young, inexperienced workers — might instead be contributing to lower hiring among young white-collar workers.
The bottom line: Adults under 30 are the most likely to say AI will be harmful to society and themselves, and largely think it'll make connection and creativity more scarce.
- Wall Street might be pumped about AI's potential, but Americans are warier about the technology than ever.
Methodology: Pew surveyed 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026.
Go deeper: Youth poll: Thumbs down on everything
