Young people have negative attitudes towards AI according to a survey. However, for many, this is (still) not a reason to ban AI from their daily lives.
Where do the data come from? The Gallup Organization is one of the leading market and opinion research institutes. In a recent Gallup report, made in cooperation with GSV Ventures and the Walton Family Foundation, 1,600 people aged 14 to 29 from all over the USA were asked about AI.
Generation Z is considered digital natives who have grown up with the Internet, smartphones, and social media, and use these technologies intuitively. This also includes artificial intelligence.
The latest report from Gallup shows that many Generation Z individuals actively use AI, but the positive attitude has noticeably cooled. However, this is still not enough to completely say goodbye to AI. Many young people continue to use AI because they recognize its benefits.
The enthusiasm for AI is declining, while concern and anger are growing
What do the data look like? Respondents were able to vote on what feelings AI evokes in them. They could choose excited, hopeful, angry, anxious, and curious. According to the survey, the following values emerged compared to the previous year (2025):
- 18 percent stated that they are hopeful about artificial intelligence. In 2025, this was still 27 percent.
- 22 percent said they are excited about AI. This is a drop from 36 percent the previous year.
- 31 percent of respondents reported that they are angry about AI, compared to 22 percent in the previous year.
- The fear of AI has remained relatively stable at 42 percent (2025: 41 percent).
- The emotion “curious” was not evaluated separately by Gallup.
The numbers show that Generation Z’s enthusiasm for artificial intelligence is steadily decreasing. However, how often AI is used in daily life also plays a role: negative emotions among non-users are much more common than among those who use AI daily in their lives.
Despite strong rejection, AI continues to be actively used by digital natives
Nevertheless, the overall rejection does not prevent Generation Z from using AI in their daily lives. According to Gallup, 51% of all participants stated that they use AI at least once a week, which marks an increase from the previous year (2025: 47%).
Stephanie Marken, Senior Partner at Gallup, explains that many recognize the benefits of AI but are also concerned about its long-term effects:
Generation Z does not outright reject AI, but they reconsider its role in their lives. What we see in the data is a generation that acknowledges the benefits of AI but is increasingly worried about its long-term effects on learning, trust, and career readiness.
AI has long been a topic in the lives of young people and constantly threatens jobs: Many from Generation Z are just starting their careers. However, an industry that was previously known for good entry-level and advancement opportunities is becoming increasingly inaccessible to them: The Gen Z has just entered the workforce and is already being replaced by AI in one industry
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