AI is becoming more common in the workplace, but employee confidence is not necessarily keeping pace.
Gallup reports that a record 27% of U.S. workers now worry technology could make their jobs obsolete in the near future, more than double the 13% reported in 2017.
That concern now cuts across education levels, with 25% of college graduates and 29% of workers without a college degree expressing worry.
At the same time, AI use is accelerating rapidly, especially in technology, finance and professional services. Outside the workplace, Americans are also raising concerns about the physical infrastructure needed to support AI, including data centers, energy use, water consumption, traffic and higher utility costs.
The takeaway for employers is clear: AI adoption is not just a technology issue—it is also a workforce trust, communication and change-management issue.
- 27% of U.S. workers worry technology could make their jobs obsolete, up seven percentage points from 2025 and more than double the 13% measured in 2017.
- Education is no longer much of a dividing line. Concern stands at 25% among college graduates and 29% among workers without a college degree.
- AI use is growing quickly across industries. Daily use is highest in technology at 42%, followed by finance at 27% and professional services at 22%.
- Public concern extends beyond jobs. Gallup reports that 71% of Americans oppose AI-related data center construction in their local area, with concerns including water use, energy consumption, farmland loss, traffic and higher living costs.
- HR and leaders have a communication challenge ahead. As organizations introduce more AI, employees will need clarity about how jobs may change, which skills will matter, how AI will be used, and where people still fit into the future of work. This is VITAL!
