Americans Worry About Jobs in an AI Future
A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that more Americans are worried about how artificial intelligence will affect their jobs. The survey, which included more than 4,400 adults, found that 71 percent believe AI could cause permanent job losses. This concern comes even though the unemployment rate in the United States is still low at around 4.2 percent. The results show that people are thinking more about the long-term risks of new technology rather than just the current state of the economy.
The poll also found that job losses are not the only worry. Political misuse of AI ranked even higher, with 77 percent of people afraid that the technology could be used to create chaos. This includes the growing problem of fake videos and manipulated images, such as the AI-generated clip of Barack Obama being arrested that was recently shared online by Donald Trump.
Other Concerns Beyond Job Losses
The survey also showed that 67 percent of Americans worry about AI leading to “uncontrollable consequences,” while 66 percent fear the technology could replace human relationships. Another 61 percent are concerned about the large amounts of electricity needed to power AI systems, raising questions about its environmental impact.
Military use of AI is another dividing line. Almost half of those surveyed said the government should never use AI to decide military targets, while only a quarter said they would accept it. The rest were unsure, showing that Americans are not ready to give machines such control over matters of life and death.
Comparisons With Other Reports
This poll is not the only sign of anxiety. Ernst & Young also reported that 71 percent of workers fear AI, while 75 percent think it could make some jobs useless. Research from Goldman Sachs goes even further, suggesting AI might affect six to seven percent of the workforce. The bank added that while jobs could be lost, new kinds of work might also appear, though that is far from certain.
Personal Analysis
I think these numbers show something important. People are not just worried about losing their jobs today. They see AI moving so fast that they feel unprepared for what could happen in the next five or ten years. While experts often say new technology creates new kinds of work, many workers do not feel secure enough to trust that promise. The memory of past layoffs, outsourcing, and automation has already left people anxious. AI, which can now do tasks once thought safe from automation, makes this fear stronger.
Another point is political misuse. If AI can create fake videos that look real, then public trust in news, elections, and even everyday information could collapse. This may be why political chaos now ranks as the top concern in the survey. In my view, this is more than a technology problem. It is also a social and political one, and it requires strong rules and open debate about how AI should be used.
Conclusion
The Reuters/Ipsos poll paints a picture of a nation uneasy with fast change. Job losses, fake content, heavy energy use, and military decisions are all on people’s minds. Even with low unemployment, Americans are looking ahead with worry, unsure if AI will help or hurt them in the long run.
Sources: reuters.com
