Gen Z’s Skepticism Toward AI Could Derail Tech Industry’s Future, New Survey Reveals

Historically, young generations have been early adopters of groundbreaking technologies—Sony’s Walkman, Apple’s iPhone, and Napster—driving their success in workplaces and society. When they reject a product, like Microsoft’s Zune, Google+, or Amazon’s Fire Phone, it’s often a harbinger of failure.

Now, a new survey from Gallup, GSV Ventures, and the Walton Family Foundation highlights Gen Z’s cautious stance on AI, a technology the tech industry is aggressively promoting. The findings are stark:

• 48% of Gen Z believe the risks of AI in the workforce outweigh its benefits.
• 80% say using AI as a shortcut makes learning more difficult.

Even more concerning is the decline in enthusiasm. Since last year, excitement about AI has dropped by 14%, hopefulness by 9%, and the proportion of young people feeling “outright anger” toward AI has surged from 22% to 31%.

This growing skepticism presents a significant challenge for the tech industry. If AI already leaves a negative impression on Gen Z, the future of its adoption looks increasingly uncertain. A recent incident underscores this tension: a 20-year-old man from Texas threw a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home, reportedly citing concerns about AI’s risks to humanity—echoing the survey’s findings.

“Underlying this growing skepticism are concerns about AI’s impact on core cognitive and professional skills,” the survey authors noted. “Gen Z remains unconvinced that AI enhances creativity, critical thinking, or even efficiency. The majority believe AI-driven efficiency may come at a cost, particularly to learning.”

Further complicating matters, a separate survey found that 44% of Gen Z workers admitted to sabotaging their employers’ AI deployments as a form of protest. Their resistance stems from fears of job displacement, security vulnerabilities in AI systems, and the paradoxical effect of AI increasing their workload.

With Gen Z facing the prospect of becoming a permanent underclass in an AI-driven economy, their disillusionment is understandable. The tech industry’s reliance on their enthusiasm may be misplaced, as skepticism and resistance continue to grow.

Related: ChatGPT Is Sending People Into Obsessive Spirals of Hypochondria