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.

  • KelvarCherry [They/Them]@piefed.blahaj.zone
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    2 days ago

    Perhaps they will. You will always have bad actors. My suggestions are really more focused on the messaging those kids get from schools.

    I have heard that many students have gotten assignments on which one of the requirements is to use Text/Image generation, or for which they are a suggested tool. Stopping students from being encouraged to use AI is far more important (and far easier) than stopping every kid from cheating on assignments with it.

    • strifegroove@ani.social
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      1 day ago

      Yes I agree.

      However sadly I am not the one teaching. I just run the magic curtain of user management and internal servers