Gen Z Is Souring on AI

TL;DR

Bloomberg newsletter reports Gen Z's attitudes toward AI are souring despite steady weekly usage around 51%.
Excitement fell 14 points to 22% and hopefulness dropped 9 points to 18% since 2025, per Gallup survey, while anger rose to 31%.
Growing concerns over AI's harm to learning, creativity, and entry-level jobs signal need for better integration in education and work.

The story at a glance

A Bloomberg newsletter examines a recent Gallup survey showing Gen Z (ages 14-29) using generative AI weekly at stable rates of 51% but with declining positive feelings and rising negativity. The survey, commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation and GSV Ventures, involved 1,572 U.S. respondents and highlights skepticism about AI's long-term effects. This comes amid broader AI adoption in schools and workplaces, reported now as part of ongoing "Voices of Gen Z" research tracking yearly shifts.

Key points

Usage steady: 51% use generative AI at least weekly (22% daily, 29% weekly), unchanged from 2025; higher among K-12 students (56%) and Asian/Black Gen Zers.
Emotions shifting: Curiosity tops at 49%, but excitement down 14 points to 22%, hopefulness down 9 to 18%, anger up 9 to 31%, anxiety steady at 42%.
Daily users less positive: Even frequent users saw bigger drops (excitement -18 points, hope -11 points); non-users report higher anger (59%) and anxiety (60%).
Learning concerns: 80% say AI makes future learning harder; pluralities see harm to creativity (38%) and critical thinking (42%); fewer agree it speeds learning (46%, down 7 points).
Workplace skepticism: 48% of employed Gen Z say risks outweigh benefits (up from 37%); 69% trust human-only work more than AI-assisted (28%).
Education trends: 52% of K-12 students expect AI needs for college (up 5 points); schools' AI policies rose to 74%, but only 28% provide tools.

Details and context

The Gallup survey, conducted February 24 to March 4, 2026, via the probability-based Gallup Panel, captures Gen Z born 1997-2012 amid rising AI tools in daily life. While usage plateaus—unlike broader market growth—sentiments reflect a "paradox": recognition of utility but fears it crowds out skill-building like critical thinking and idea generation.

In education, more schools now have policies (up from 51%) and permit AI for work (65%), yet students worry about peers' improper use (41%) and lack of preparation. For jobs, low trust in AI-assisted output stems from doubts on accuracy and over-reliance, especially as Gen Z enters a market where AI automates entry-level tasks.

This builds on 2025 findings, showing consistent negativity trends even among users, suggesting exposure alone doesn't build confidence.

Key quotes

“Gen Z isn’t rejecting AI outright, but they are reassessing its role in their lives. What we’re seeing in the data is a generation that recognizes AI’s utility but is increasingly concerned about its long-term impact on learning, trust and career readiness." — Stephanie Marken, senior partner at Gallup.[[1]](https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/about-us/newsroom/gen-z-resentment-toward-ai-grows-as-adoption-stagnates-and-workplace-fears-mount)[[2]](https://news.gallup.com/poll/708224/gen-adoption-steady-skepticism-climbs.aspx)
“Gen Z's relationship with AI is stabilizing but not deepening as adoption is plateauing, enthusiasm is declining, and skepticism is rising.” — From Gallup report "The AI Paradox."[[3]](https://www.gallup.com/file/analytics/708176/Gallup_WFF_GSV_Report.pdf)

Why it matters

Gen Z's mixed views highlight AI's tension between efficiency gains and risks to human skills, potentially slowing workplace trust and innovation if unaddressed. For students and young workers, it means pushing for structured AI training to build competence without over-reliance; businesses face hiring challenges if grads lack balanced literacy. Watch school AI policies and employer transparency efforts, though sentiment shifts could continue if job impacts worsen.[[2]](https://news.gallup.com/poll/708224/gen-adoption-steady-skepticism-climbs.aspx)