Mass unemployment, civil unrest: what UK citizens really think about AI

By Anna Desmarais Published on 20/05/2026 - 16:53 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp

The UK public is watching the growth of AI “with more fear than excitement,” according to a new survey.

Most people in the United Kingdom worry that artificial intelligence (AI) will destroy more jobs than it creates, according to a new survey.

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Researchers from King's College London surveyed over 4,500 university students, young adults, employers and members of the public to get their thoughts on AI.

Seven in 10 are worried about the economic effects of AI-driven job losses, the survey found.

More than half believe AI will lead to widespread unemployment, with one in five believing that this could lead to civil unrest.

“The public, workers, young people and university students are watching the rapid development of AI with more fear than excitement, with real concern for what it will do to jobs, particularly at entry levels, and, therefore, the prospects for our young people and the economy in general,” said Bobby Duffy, co-author of the survey and director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London.

The report comes as anti-AI movements start to form, such as the “QuitGPT” group. The proposed boycott of ChatGPT surged in popularity after parent company OpenAI signed a deal in February with the United States’ Department of War (DOW) for unfettered use of its AI in military operations.

Public fear contrasts with employer optimism

Four in ten respondents expressed a negative few about AI, saying that it has more disadvantages than advantages. Almost half of the respondents said they would rather avoid AI-based technologies.

While anxiety was widespread across all groups surveyed, employers were generally more optimistic about AI’s long-term effects than the general public.

Nearly 70% of employers said they were excited about new opportunities AI could create, and almost half believed the technology would generate as many jobs as it removes.

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When asked about AI’s impact on jobs, 56% of employers said it was mainly to assist workers instead of replacing them, while 32% of the public said AI is replacing workers.

However, 22% admitted they had already reduced hiring or made positions redundant because of AI adoption, which went up to 29% among large organisations.

Outside of employers, the other respondents were sceptical that ordinary workers would benefit from AI-driven economic growth, with two-thirds believing that AI gains would mainly go to wealthy investors and corporations.

Of the general public respondents, only 7% believed the economic benefits would be distributed fairly.

Despite the pessimism, 43% of respondents said they would continue to use AI in the future with only 26% saying they would not.

The survey also showed that the general public wants the government to intervene with tighter regulation on AI firms (66%), retraining programs (53%) and a tax on companies that replace workers with AI (53%).

Highest concern for young workers

The survey suggests that members of the public are more concerned about AI’s impact on young people than they are.

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 5 years, it found.

Respondents who are parents were also split in the survey, with 50% believing that AI could hurt their children’s career prospects. Only one in three parents with children under 30 has had a conversation with their child about how AI will impact their future.

However, almost half of the student population agreed that AI is positive for the UK compared to just 28% of the general public, the survey found.

There is a clear gender gap for young respondents, with 52% of young male students believe that AI is positive for the UK and only 38% of women who agree with that view. Male students are also more likely to believe that AI will improve their lives, compared to female students.

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That finding is consistent with other research, which has found that women are three times more likely than men to lose their jobs to AI automation in high-income countries, according to a 2025 report from the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Where students are concerned is their prospects after graduation, since 68% expressed concern about AI-related job losses, and 60% said they expected the technology to make the labour market significantly tougher by the time they graduate.

AI developments also have students reconsidering their paths, with three in 10 saying they would now choose a different degree subject due to AI’s rapid rise.

However, 35% of university students say they are excited about some of the new opportunities that could open up as a result of AI.

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