31% of Gen Z Workers Are Angry About AI, and Their Excitement Has Been Cut in Half Since 2025

The generation most likely to shape the future of work is increasingly skeptical about the technology redefining it. A new Gallup survey commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation and GSV Ventures found that Gen Z's anger toward artificial intelligence has surged to 31%, up from 22% just one year ago. At the same time, excitement about AI has been nearly cut in half, dropping from 36% to 22%. For employers, educators, and the millions of young workers navigating their early careers, this shift carries significant implications. Metaintro breaks down what the data shows and what it means for the labor market.

Why Is Gen Z Turning Against AI in 2026?

The numbers tell a striking story of eroding confidence. The Gallup survey, conducted February 24 through March 4, 2026, polled 1,572 respondents aged 14 to 29 across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The results show a generation that is using AI at roughly the same rate as last year but feeling far worse about it.

Excitement dropped 14 percentage points year over year. Hopefulness fell 9 points, from 27% to just 18%. Anger climbed 9 points to 31%. And more than 40% of respondents reported feeling anxious about the technology's role in their lives.

This is not a fringe reaction. It represents a meaningful shift in how the largest generation in the U.S. workforce views the tools that employers are racing to deploy. The data suggests that familiarity with AI is not breeding comfort. It is breeding concern.

Several factors are driving the backlash. Gen Z workers are watching layoffs attributed to AI automation climb quarter after quarter. They are seeing entry-level roles, the very positions they need to launch their careers, being restructured or eliminated. And they are experiencing firsthand the tension between being told to use AI tools and feeling that those tools undermine the skills they worked to develop.

What Do Gen Z Workers Actually Think About AI in the Workplace?

The workplace data is particularly revealing. Nearly half of working Gen Z respondents, 48%, now say that the risks of AI outweigh its benefits in professional settings. That figure jumped 11 percentage points from the prior year's survey.

Trust in AI-assisted work is low. When asked about the quality of work produced with and without AI, 69% of Gen Z workers expressed greater trust in work done entirely without artificial intelligence. Only 28% trusted AI-assisted work. And a mere 3% expressed confidence in work produced entirely by AI.

There is a nuanced wrinkle in the data. More than half of Gen Z workers, 56%, acknowledge that AI helps them complete tasks faster. But that recognition of speed comes with a significant caveat: 80% believe that relying on AI for efficiency will make future learning harder. Agreement that AI improves work speed also dropped 10 points since 2025, suggesting that even the perceived productivity gains are losing their appeal.

For employers, this creates a real challenge. Companies are investing billions in AI tools and expecting workers to adopt them enthusiastically. But the generation entering the workforce in the largest numbers is increasingly resistant, not because they cannot use the tools, but because they do not trust what the tools are doing to their development and their job prospects.

How Does This Affect Hiring and Career Planning?

The implications for hiring are significant. Employers who frame AI adoption as a straightforward productivity win may find themselves at odds with a workforce that sees it differently. Gen Z workers are not opposed to technology. They are opposed to technology that they perceive as threatening their ability to learn, grow, and build stable careers.

As Metaintro CEO Lacey Kaelani told People Managing People, "What we're seeing isn't just a correction, it is a restructuring. Companies are using AI as both a tool and an excuse to fundamentally reshape their workforces." That observation resonates strongly with Gen Z's concerns. When young workers see headlines about AI replacing jobs and then get told to embrace the same technology at work, the cognitive dissonance is real.

For job seekers in the 18-to-29 age range, the data points to several practical considerations. First, AI skills remain valuable in the job market regardless of personal feelings about the technology. Workers who can demonstrate both AI competency and strong human judgment are in the strongest position. Second, companies that invest in training and development alongside AI adoption, rather than using AI as a replacement for learning, are likely to be better employers for early-career professionals.

The survey also found that fewer than 20% of Gen Z respondents would choose AI over a human for tutoring, financial advice, or customer service. This preference for human interaction in high-stakes situations suggests that roles requiring empathy, judgment, and personal connection will continue to attract young talent even as AI reshapes other parts of the economy.

What Is Happening in Education Around AI?

The education findings add important context. Among K-12 students in the survey, 52% believe they will need AI skills for higher education, and 48% expect AI to play a role in their future careers. Schools are responding: 74% of respondents now report that their schools have AI policies in place, a 23-point increase from the prior year.

But the policies are not eliminating tension. A full 41% of students believe their classmates are using AI for unauthorized schoolwork. The concern is not just about cheating. It reflects a deeper anxiety about whether AI is helping students learn or simply helping them avoid learning.

The Walton Family Foundation's Education Program Director Romy Drucker captured the urgency: "Gen Z is sending us a strong signal and we must treat it as a call to act, not a perception to explain away."

For workers entering the job market from educational settings where AI is both ubiquitous and controversial, the transition to workplaces that demand AI adoption adds another layer of complexity. The generation is learning to use AI while simultaneously questioning whether it is good for them.

What Should Job Seekers Take Away From This Data?

The Gallup findings do not mean Gen Z should avoid AI. The data actually shows that 51% of respondents use AI daily or weekly, a figure that held steady year over year. The technology is not going away, and workers who refuse to engage with it risk falling behind.

But the survey does validate concerns that many young workers feel but rarely see reflected in corporate messaging. If you are a Gen Z job seeker navigating the 2026 labor market, here are practical steps based on the data.

Learn AI tools on your own terms. Understanding how AI works gives you the ability to evaluate when it helps and when it does not. That critical judgment is exactly what employers need most.

Look for employers who invest in development. Companies that pair AI adoption with genuine training and mentorship programs are signaling that they value their workers' growth, not just their output. The Gallup data shows that this distinction matters enormously to Gen Z.

Build skills AI cannot replicate. Communication, creative problem-solving, ethical judgment, and relationship building remain the most resilient career assets. These are the skills that the 69% of Gen Z workers trust more than AI-assisted alternatives.

Stay informed about how AI is reshaping your industry. The landscape is changing fast, and workers who track these shifts are better positioned to make strategic career decisions. Metaintro delivers daily updates on hiring trends, AI workforce impact, and career strategies so you never have to guess where things stand.

People Also Asked

Q: What percentage of Gen Z is angry about AI in 2026?

A: According to the Gallup survey conducted in February-March 2026, 31% of Gen Z respondents (ages 14-29) report feeling outright anger toward artificial intelligence. That figure is up from 22% in the prior year's survey. Meanwhile, excitement about AI dropped from 36% to 22%, and hopefulness fell from 27% to 18%.

Q: Do Gen Z workers trust AI-assisted work?

A: No. The survey found that 69% of Gen Z workers have greater trust in work done entirely without AI, compared to just 28% who trust AI-assisted work and only 3% who trust work produced entirely by AI. Nearly half (48%) of working respondents said the risks of AI outweigh its benefits in the workplace.

Q: How many Gen Z workers actually use AI regularly?

A: About 51% of Gen Z respondents use AI on a daily (22%) or weekly (29%) basis, a figure largely unchanged from the prior year. This creates a paradox: Gen Z is using AI at steady rates while simultaneously growing more negative about it. The disconnect suggests that adoption is driven by workplace and educational requirements rather than enthusiasm.

Future-proof your career by staying informed about how AI is reshaping the workforce for every generation. Metaintro tracks the latest hiring trends, salary data, and career strategies so you can navigate the AI era with confidence. Sign up today to get personalized job market insights delivered to your inbox.