Public have more fear than hope on AI and future of work, UK study finds
A recent UK study reveals that the public harbors more fear than hope regarding the impact of AI on jobs and the economy. While many express concerns about job losses, particularly among entry-level positions, there is some optimism among employers and university students about new opportunities. The findings highlight a significant divide in perceptions of AI's benefits and risks across different demographics.
- ▪Seven in 10 of the UK public are worried about the economic impacts of AI.
- ▪Half of the public would rather avoid AI, and only 24% think it’s positive for humanity.
- ▪Most of the public believe AI will lead to widespread unemployment, with only 17% believing it will create as many or more jobs.
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Search news articlesSearch19 May 2026Public have more fear than hope on AI and future of work, study findsA majority of the UK public are worried about the economic impacts of AIRead the researchAI and the Future of Work (2.13MB pdf)Seven in 10 of the UK public are worried about the economic impacts of AI, six in 10 think it will eliminate more jobs than it creates, half think its impact will be worse than a normal recession – and one in five think it will create civil unrest. People are particularly worried about the impacts on entry-level jobs and young people more generally: nearly six in 10 agree with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s 2025 prediction that AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at King's College London.
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