Global survey shows widespread fear that AI will eliminate jobs over next two decades

A comprehensive Pew Research survey spanning February to May tracked public sentiment about artificial intelligence across 42,151 respondents in 37 countries. The findings paint a sobering picture: widespread concern that AI will harm rather than help workers worldwide.

Job losses top the worry list#

Anxiety about employment dominates the conversation. In 34 of the 37 surveyed nations, people believe AI is more likely to destroy jobs than create them over the next 20 years. The concern runs deepest in affluent democracies—76% in Australia and South Korea, 71% in the United States—suggesting that those with the most to lose in white-collar sectors feel most threatened. Research from Anthropic leadership has fueled these fears, with projections that AI could eliminate roughly half of entry-level professional positions.

Economic inequality looms large#

Beyond job fears, respondents worry about widening wealth gaps. A majority expects AI to increase the divide between rich and poor. This concern resonates most strongly among voters in wealthier nations leaning toward progressive politics, reflecting anxieties that AI's benefits may concentrate among elites while displacement cascades through working and middle classes.

Age divides how people see the future#

Generational differences shape AI outlook. Older adults express greater anxiety about daily life disruption, while those aged 18–34 hold more ambivalent views. However, youth worry is rising sharply—in countries including Sweden, Poland, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and the US, younger demographics have grown substantially more apprehensive about job loss and inequality within just the past year, narrowing the emotional gap with their elders.

Mixed feelings amid the dread#

Not all sentiment is negative. Globally, a median of 41% report simultaneous excitement and concern about AI's integration into society—outweighing those primarily anxious (37%) and those chiefly enthusiastic (13%). This suggests public judgment remains unsettled rather than uniformly dystopian.