A survey of young people in the US aged between 14 and 29 shows Gen Z’s complicated relationship with AI.
In the US, notable investments and deals are being made between AI providers and colleges/universities. For example, large universities such as Arizona State University, the University of South Carolina and California State University have made deals with OpenAI for student and staff access to its tools. And last year, Google announced a $1 billion AI tools and training investment for colleges and non-profits, which has seen 200 institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania and Texas A&M University sign up for the program.
With this in mind, Gallup (a global analytics advisory firm) conducted a survey of 14 to 29-year-olds in the US about their perceptions of and attitudes towards AI in education and the workplace. What they discovered is that Gen Z is ‘navigating a complex relationship with artificial intelligence’ and noted that use is plateauing, optimism and hope are declining and concern is growing.
Key statistics:
- The amount Gen Z uses AI is largely unchanged from 2025, which is in stark contrast to a broader worker access trend which rose by 50%.
- Excitement for AI has dropped by 14% (to 22%) and hopefulness by 9% (to 18%).
- Anger towards AI increased to 31% (a 9% increase) and anxiety remained at 42%.
- Curiosity about AI is the most common emotion at 49%.
- Those using AI frequently feel substantially more positive about it; however, daily users’ positivity has declined over the past year.
- Respondents were split on its ability to help them find accurate information but felt it does more harm than good for creativity and critical thinking.
- Confidence in AI-driven efficiency has declined by 10% (to 56%) and belief that it speeds up learning has declined by 7% (to 46%).
- Young working adults are significantly more likely to feel the risks of AI outweigh benefits in the workplace.
- 52% of Gen Z students think they will need to know how to use AI for post-secondary education, and 48% believe AI skills will be necessary for their future careers.
- 56% (a 12% increase) of Gen Z K-12 students agree or strongly agree that they will have the skills to use AI in their daily lives after high school.
“Gen Z isn’t rejecting AI outright, but they are reassessing its role in their lives. What we’re seeing in the data is a generation that recognizes AI’s utility but is increasingly concerned about its long-term impact on learning, trust and career readiness.” – Stephanie Marken, senior partner at Gallup.
Learn more:
References
- Schwartz, N. (2026) ‘Gallup: Gen Z growing more negative toward AI’. Available at: https://www.highereddive.com/news/gen-z-ai-gallup-poll-negative-sentiment/817133/ (Accessed: 16 April 2026)
- Gallup (2026) ‘Voices of Gen Z: The AI Paradox’. Available at: https://www.gallup.com/analytics/651674/gen-z-research.aspx (Accessed: 16 April 2026)
