7 in 10 Americans fear AI will kill jobs, 30% think theirs may be next

One in three Americans now fears that artificial intelligence will make their job obsolete, according to a new poll released by Quinnipiac University on Monday — a sharp jump from just a year ago that signals how rapidly public anxiety about AI and employment is intensifying.The survey found that 30% of Americans are concerned their specific job could be rendered obsolete by AI, up from 21% in April 2025. That nine percentage point increase in under a year represents one of the most significant shifts in public sentiment on the issue recorded to date.The broader picture is even more pessimistic. Seven in ten Americans — 70% — believe that advances in artificial intelligence will lead to a general decrease in job opportunities across the economy.

Which Generation Is More Worried?

The anxiety cuts across age groups, but with notable differences in intensity.Millennials are more concerned than their younger counterparts. Some 34% of millennials said they worry their job will become obsolete, compared to 26% of Gen Z. The gap widens further when looking at those who are "very concerned" — 15% of millennials fell into that category, compared to just 7% of Gen Z.The reasons for the generational divide are not entirely clear, but millennials are more likely to be established in careers that could be directly disrupted by automation, while younger workers may feel more adaptable or less anchored to a specific role.

Regulation, Data Centres and the Military

Job fears are only part of the story. The poll reveals a broad and deep unease about AI across multiple dimensions of American life.On regulation, 74% of Americans believe the government is not doing enough to oversee the technology — a finding that will add pressure on lawmakers who have struggled to agree on a coherent federal AI policy.On infrastructure, 65% said they would oppose the construction of an AI data centre in their own community — a striking number given the pace at which tech companies are racing to build them across the country.On daily life, 55% of Americans believe AI will do more harm than good — a majority view that stands in sharp contrast to the optimism frequently expressed by technology executives and investors.And on the military use of AI, 51% said they oppose the use of artificial intelligence to select targets in warfare — a finding that arrives amid a very public dispute between AI company Anthropic and the Department of Defense over exactly that question.

The Bigger Picture

Taken together, the poll paints a picture of a public that is watching the AI revolution unfold with significantly more fear than excitement. While the technology industry continues to frame AI as a tool for productivity and progress, ordinary Americans are increasingly asking harder questions — about their livelihoods, their communities, their safety, and who, if anyone, is keeping watch.The Quinnipiac Poll was conducted between March 19 and 23 and included approximately 1,400 US adults, with a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.