New Poll Says Gen Z Is Thinking That AI Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to Be – RedState
It’s usually us old farts who joke that if we have computer problems, we’ll go find a teenager to help us. Most of us are willing to admit that it’s young people who are at the forefront of all things hip and cool in technology. But a new poll finds it’s young people who have doubts about things like artificial intelligence (AI).
Everyone is worried about the impact of AI on their work.
Few people worry about what the government will do with AI.
IYKYK.
– Young Americans for Liberty (@YALiberty) April 9, 2026
A new Gallup poll surveyed more than 1,500 people ages 14 to 29 in February and March. This showed that the people you might think are most excited about AI are not. GenZ are increasingly negative about AI, even though at least half of them may be forced to use it regularly. It also showed that their enthusiasm for AI is waning, and that their emotional reactions have a lot to do with it. A year ago, 27% of these young people said they had “hope” about AI. By 2026, this figure had fallen to 18 percent. And even though enthusiasm for AI has waned, nearly a third of respondents said AI makes them “angry.”
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While there may be many more older people, myself included, who feel that “just because you can doesn’t mean you should” about AI, this sentiment may extend to younger people as well. They are very wisely asking themselves what AI will mean for them when they enter the workforce and want to establish their professional identity.
Zach Hrynowski is a senior education researcher at Gallup who was also struck by some of the poll results. He said: “In most of these cases, Gen Zers have become more and more skeptical, more and more negative – whereas even last year they weren’t particularly positive about it. »
Although many respondents recognize the convenience and efficiency that AI brings to work or school, they worry about how the technology will affect the development of crucial intellectual abilities like creativity and critical thinking.
Young people, just starting their careers, are trying to determine which professions will protect them from the impact of AI or which jobs will benefit from it. https://t.co/yjNw7LvEpu
– The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) March 26, 2026
Other interesting numbers from the survey include the fact that nearly half of already-working GenZs said the risks of AI outweigh the benefits in the workplace, an increase of almost 11 points from 2025. Only 15% of them saw AI as a net benefit professionally. These young people are clearly concerned about the consequences of AI on their career prospects and job security.
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For a generation born into digital technology, even though they use AI daily, Hrynowski says she is more “aware” of the effects of AI than perhaps someone in mid-career, and feels more threatened by it. And their feelings about AI correlated with how often they used it. Daily users were more enthusiastic than weekly users.
Gen Z may not be as enthusiastic about adopting AI as they once were, but they also realize that it won’t go anywhere. The generation we might never have thought would be jaded by AI is becoming the most prepared to deal with it.
Artificial intelligence is taking jobs from young people.
People aged 22 to 25 in jobs exposed to AI are seeing a significant decline in their employment.
Those over 30 occupying the same functions see employment growing.
Experience counts.
READ: https://t.co/416a6j0VXD pic.twitter.com/YjabRcuViq
-Anthony Pompliano 🌪 (@APompliano) April 10, 2026
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