Young people have grown increasingly skeptical of artificial intelligence, even those who use it daily, according to a new Gallup poll of more than 1,500 people aged 14 to 29.
There is no decline in AI use among Gen Zers, but there is also no increase since the same poll was conducted in 2025. The latest poll found that AI use was plateauing among young users, accompanied by rising concern about the technology’s consequences.
The findings are significant because Gen Z is “the generation most likely to enter or grow within the workforce over the next decade,” the report notes, meaning that their adoption could determine the trajectory of broader societal AI adoption. Gen Z has already overtaken Boomers in the workforce. Right now, the AI world is preparing for a massive jump in expected demand, and the top tech and financial companies are investing billions upon billions of dollars into building out the supply. Experts have warned that if demand does not pan out exactly as expected in the short term, then it could have disastrous consequences for the economy.
If the entire software industry mandated AI, I would either create some kind of startup, or just reeducate myself into some other field, like landscaping or something. Because fuck AI.
I’ve been thinking similar thoughts. I don’t want my life to devolve into managing the fallout from the torrent of slop. Perhaps it’s not too late to switch to geophysics. Those guys get to do fieldwork.
Might be good!
I just didn’t become a software developer to generate output. I became a software developer to be a craftsman. To write the code is the fun. If that is taken away from me, I’m out.
Yeah. I’ve spent (shock, horror) 25+ years resisting being moved “up” to management. Maybe the jig is just up and I’ll be managing a horde of idiot savant bots.
I guess I could deal with much of the characters on the screen being auto generated if I’m directing the data structures and stuff but…
:old-man-yelling-at-world: