Widespread public anxiety over artificial intelligence (AI) is mounting across the United States: A new Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals that more than half of Americans fear the emerging technology could eliminate jobs within their households.
The six-day nationwide survey found that 53% of American adults share this employment anxiety, a sentiment that cuts evenly across various age groups, genders, and education levels. Conversely, 37% of respondents reported no such concern, while 10% remained unsure or declined to answer.
The Reuters/Ipsos poll surveyed 4,531 U.S. adults and carries a margin of error of 2 percentage points.
This surge in economic unease coincides with a visible wave of AI-driven corporate restructuring. Last month, software giant Intuit Inc. announced a 17% reduction of its global workforce, citing a strategic pivot to streamline operations and intensify focus on AI initiatives. Despite these high-profile tech layoffs, the broader U.S. job market has maintained resilience, posting strong overall employment gains in recent months.
Public skepticism has also manifested culturally and politically. At a recent University of Arizona graduation ceremony, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt was booed by students during a speech addressing AI’s systemic impacts. Furthermore, the technology’s capacity to fuel political propaganda, disrupt entertainment, and alter warfare has drawn sharp warnings from global figures, including elected leaders and Pope Leo XIV.
The poll highlights a distinct partisan divide regarding tech anxiety: 61% of Democrats expressed worry about AI-induced job loss, compared to 47% of Republicans. Analysts note this divergence aligns with shifting party demographics, as the Democratic base attracts more college graduates while the Republican platform has drawn increased working-class support.
Still, higher education directly correlates with higher technology adoption. The data shows that 50% of college graduates utilize AI regularly, compared to 34% of those without degrees, and 40% of the overall population.
The public’s broader unease extends beyond the workforce. Overall, 73% of Americans expressed general worry regarding the proliferation of AI, marking a measurable increase from 68% in a similar 2023 survey. This anxiety often stems from fears over diminished human quality and nuance. Jennifer Schalhoub, a freelance writer from New Jersey who recently lost her position crafting policy advocacy letters, suspects AI integration drove her termination. Similarly, Lauren Hayes, a clinical psychologist in Washington state, expressed concern over clients consulting AI for anxiety management, arguing that the technology lacks essential human nuance.
Since OpenAI’s ChatGPT launched in 2022, AI has rapidly reshaped corporate and consumer landscapes. Competitors like Anthropic have gained rapid commercial traction through tools like the coding assistant Claude Code, with both firms generating massive Wall Street buzz amid plans for initial public offerings.
