New Gallup Data Reveals Gen Z Enthusiasm for AI Collapses as Career Anxiety and Anger Mount

New Gallup data shows Gen Z excitement for AI dropped to 22% in 2026. Discover why young workers are feeling more angry and anxious about the future of tech.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 9, 2026, 5:32 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Axios

The Eroding Optimism of Digital Natives

According to a newly released report from Gallup, GSV Ventures, and the Walton Family Foundation, the initial wave of excitement surrounding artificial intelligence is rapidly dissipating among Gen Z. The share of respondents in this age group who report feeling excited about the technology plummeted from 36 percent last year to just 22 percent in 2026. This shift suggests that the generation most accustomed to digital life is becoming increasingly wary of the tools once hailed as revolutionary, reflecting a broader cultural reassessment of automated systems.

Rising Hostility and Economic Job Displacement Fears

The survey highlights a significant pivot toward negative emotions, with a larger share of young people expressing outright anger toward AI developments. According to Gallup Senior Education Researcher Zach Hrynowski, this rising frustration, which grew from 22 percent to 31 percent over the past year, is particularly concentrated among the oldest members of Gen Z. This demographic is currently entering or navigating the early stages of the workforce, where the perceived threat of AI to entry level roles is most acute.

The Resilience of Usage Amid Growing Skepticism

Despite the collapse in sentiment, the actual adoption of AI tools has remained remarkably stable, indicating a pragmatic rather than emotional relationship with the tech. According to the data, roughly half of Gen Z continues to use AI on a daily or weekly basis, figures that have largely plateaued since the previous year. Hrynowski notes that this consistency in usage likely points to a reticent acceptance, where young users recognize the technology as an unavoidable fixture of modern life even as they grow to resent its presence.