3 in 4 Americans Worry AI Will Take Their Jobs

A growing number of Americans are concerned about the ramifications artificial intelligence could have—especially on their economic well-being.

According to a Forbes Advisor survey in April of more than 2,000 Americans, 77% were concerned AI would cause job loss within the next 12 months, with 44% stating they were “very concerned” and 33% “somewhat concerned.”

Similarly, 75% of respondents are concerned about AI-induced misinformation, even as 65% said they plan to use ChatGPT—an AI language chatbot—instead of traditional search engines like Google when searching online for information.

Increased prominence and headlines regarding ChatGPT in recent months may have something to do with the apparent concern among Americans. Swaths of users are now employing the technology to write poetry, author essays, conduct human-like conversation and pass medical school exams. Forbes’ study differs significantly from a wide-ranging AI study conducted by Pew Research Center in March 2022. That study found that 45% of Americans were “equally concerned and excited” by AI, with only 36% stating they were “more concerned than excited.” Americans surveyed in the Pew Research Center study expressed the most concern (19%) about the loss of human jobs to AI, but far more—31%—reported that AI would make life and society better.

As businesses and federal agencies continue—and, in some cases, likely increase—their use of AI, they may not lose many customers. 65% of Americans surveyed by Forbes said they would still trust businesses that use AI, while 21% reported they were “neutral” on whether businesses used AI. Only 7% reported being “very unlikely” to use a business that implements any AI.