Pew: Young Adults Become the Most AI-Skeptical Generation
shashib · x · 2026-08-23
Analysis by Shashi Bellamkonda based on Pew Research Center data reveals a sharp reversal in AI sentiment among U.S. adults under 30, shifting from the most optimistic group in 2021 to the most skeptical in 2026.
Key Stats:
- Concern: 55% of under-30s are now more concerned than excited about AI (up from 31% in 2021).
- Job Fear: 73% expect AI to cut U.S. jobs over the next 20 years (up from 61% in 2024).
- Overall Cooling: The share of all adults more excited than concerned dropped from 18% in 2021 to 9% in 2026.
Impact:
Enterprises had banked on younger employees driving AI adoption due to higher trust. That confidence gap is now closed; the cohort expected to run agentic workflows no longer trusts the tech more than they fear job displacement.
Related event: Pew: Over Half of US Adults Under 30 Now More Worried Than Excited About AI(5 posts)→
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