The generation that is most comfortable with AI might surprise you

A Pew Research Center survey conducted in June found that 55% of Americans under 30 are now more concerned than excited about AI, the first time a majority of that age group has expressed such skepticism since the survey began in 2021. Overall, 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited, up from 37% five years ago, and 71% believe AI will lead to fewer U.S. jobs over the next two decades, up from 64% in 2024. Gen X (ages 50-61) is the only age group in which a majority did not say they are more concerned than excited.

Well, this should come as no surprise to absolutely everyone: Americans, particularly younger generations like Gen Z https://www.fastcompany.com/section/gen-z , are increasingly worried about AI https://www.fastcompany.com/section/artificial-intelligence and its potential to take their jobs. This finding comes from a new survey https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/08/18/young-adults-in-the-us-are-increasingly-wary-of-ai-concerned-it-will-take-jobs/ from the nonprofit, nonpartisan Pew Research Center, which conducted the research in June. Concern about artificial intelligence https://www.fastcompany.com/section/artificial-intelligence is up particularly among young adults under 30, whose skepticism recently made headlines https://apnews.com/article/ai-college-commencement-anxiety-boo-35aec9bac660eaeb05c5b8d392db2cac when college graduates booed speaker after speaker at commencement addresses https://www.google.com/search?q=booed+commencement+speech&sca esv=8731fb38ab1cc8da&sxsrf=APpeQnuclfc8ir6y8iGqUp0jWJyi7AuDyg%3A1787156832041&source=hp&ei=X9mFapr6PJ-jptQPoJCu0Q0&iflsig=ABILxe8AAAAAaoXncOEIRq0R7rYD9BkFWF-nXtKqoviB&oq=booed+comme&gs lp=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&sclient=gws-wiz fpstate=ive&vld=cid:2c889aa4,vid:xwWaoyIy5e8,st:0 for praising and touting AI’s benefits. In fact, for the first time since Pew started the survey in 2021, a majority of Americans under 30 55% now say they’re “more concerned than excited” about AI—which is roughly the same level of skepticism expressed by Americans in their thirties, forties, late sixties, and older. However, what is s urprising is that the generation that seems to be most comfortable with AI is none other than Gen X https://www.fastcompany.com/section/gen-x 50- to 61-year-olds . That age group is the only one in which a majority did not say they are “more concerned than excited” about AI. The survey found, overall, more than half of Americans 52% are “more concerned than excited” about the increased use of AI in everyday life, up from 37% five years ago. Only 9% are “more excited than concerned,” while 37% say they’re “equally concerned and excited.” Five years ago, job loss https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/03/17/how-americans-think-about-artificial-intelligence/ps 2022-03-17 ai-he 01-02-png/ was one of the top reasons for people’s concern about AI. Today they are even more worried: A whopping 71% of adults told researchers they believe AI will lead to fewer jobs in the U.S. over the next two decades, up from 64% in 2024. Only 5% believe the technology will lead to more jobs. Of those surveyed who are younger than 30, 73% said they believe AI will lead to fewer jobs—up from 61% two years ago. They now hold this view at the same rate as their older counterparts, ages 30 to 64. And that’s not all: Younger adults are the most likely demographic to believe AI will be bad for society and for them https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/how-opinions-and-use-of-ai-differ-by-age/ , in part by making connection and creativity harder https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2025/09/17/ai-impact-on-people-society-appendix/ps 2024-9-15 ai-and-its-impact a-08/ , even though most say they continue to use chatbots and AI tools.