--- title: "What do young people around the world think about AI?" description: "A 37-country survey finds that young adults are particularly worried about AI leading to fewer jobs. Still, they're more likely than older people to feel both excited and concerned about AI." date: "2026-09-17" authors: - name: "Laura Silver" job_title: "Associate Director, Global Attitudes Research" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/laura-silver/" - name: "Richard Wike" job_title: "Director, Global Attitudes Research" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/richard-wike/" - name: "Moira Fagan" job_title: "Senior Researcher" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/moira-fagan/" - name: "Jordan Lippert" job_title: "Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/jordan-lippert/" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2026/09/17/what-do-young-people-around-the-world-think-about-ai/" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Global Tech & Cybersecurity" - "International Technology" --- # What do young people around the world think about AI? **About this research** This Pew Research Center study looks at how people around the world view artificial intelligence (AI), including how opinions vary by age and across [high- and middle-income countries](https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/opendata/understanding-country-income--world-bank-group-income-classifica). #### Why did we do this? Pew Research Center does research to help the public, media and decision-makers understand important topics. This international research builds on our previous reports on [how people in 25 countries view AI](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/10/15/how-people-around-the-world-view-ai/) and the Center’s work measuring [Americans’ attitudes](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/americans-and-ai-2026-chatbots-smart-devices-and-views-on-impact/) toward this new technology. [Learn more about Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/about/) and our [international surveys](https://www.pewresearch.org/international-surveys/). #### How did we do this? We surveyed 42,151 people across 36 countries from Feb. 8 to May 13, 2026: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, the U.K., and the West Bank and East Jerusalem. We designed the surveys so we could talk about the views of the adult population in each country. For this report, data from the U.S. comes from two surveys. We surveyed 5,119 U.S. adults from Feb. 17 to Feb. 23, 2026 and 3,488 U.S. adults from June 22 to June 28, 2026. Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s [American Trends Panel](https://www.pewresearch.org/the-american-trends-panel/). These surveys represent the views of the full U.S. adult population. Here are the [survey questions used](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/09/pg_2026.09.17_global-views-of-ai_topline.pdf) for this report, along with responses, and the [survey methodology](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2026/09/17/methodology-global-ai-2026). As young people look toward a future that will be shaped in part by the growth of artificial intelligence, what do they think about this technology? A Pew Research Center survey of 37 countries finds that many young adults are both concerned and excited about AI. However, it also finds that **young adults in some countries are particularly worried about the potential impact of AI on jobs.** This analysis is part of a broader study on [how people around the world view AI](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2026/09/17/globally-more-people-expect-ai-to-cause-job-loss-than-growth/). It is based on a survey of 42,151 adults in 36 countries conducted Feb. 8-May 13, 2026. U.S. data comes from two surveys, the first of 5,119 adults conducted Feb. 17-23, and the second of 3,488 adults conducted June 22-28. Below, we explore four key findings about young people and AI. Compared with older adults: - [Young people are much more aware of AI](#young-people-are-much-more-aware-of-ai). - [They are especially likely to have mixed feelings about AI](#young-people-are-especially-likely-to-have-mixed-feelings-about-ai). - [Their general concern about the technology is rising in several countries](#concern-is-rising-among-young-people-in-several-countries). - [They are more likely to say AI will negatively impact jobs](#young-people-are-more-likely-to-say-ai-will-negatively-impact-jobs). ### Young people are much more aware of AI As the use of AI spreads around the globe, young people are the first to become very familiar with it. In all 36 nations where we can examine age differences, **people ages 18 to 34 are more likely than those ages 50 and older to say they have heard or read a lot about AI.** [![A dot plot showing that Younger people are much more aware of AI than older people](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/09/pg_2026.09.17_global-views-of-ai_2_01.png?w=420){.aligncenter width=400}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=459129) In 19 countries, the gap is 30 percentage points or more. For instance, 67% of 18- to 34-year-olds in Spain have heard a lot about AI, compared with just 16% among those ages 50 and older – a gap of 51 points. In the United States, the age gap is smaller but still notable – 19 points. **Awareness has also increased *more* among the youngest adults than among the oldest in some countries since last year,** widening the awareness gap. This is the case in Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa and Spain. In the U.S., awareness has grown more among younger adults than older adults since we began asking the question in 2022. ### Young people are especially likely to have mixed feelings about AI In many countries surveyed, **people ages 18 to 34 stand out for their mixed views of AI: They tend to report being equally concerned *and* excited about the technology.** In more than half of the countries surveyed, this is the majority or plurality view among adults under 35. [![A bar chart showing How concern and excitement about AI vary by age ](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/09/pg_2026.09.17_global-views-of-ai_2_02.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=459133) Zooming out to look at median percentages across age groups, a few patterns stand out: - Adults under 35 are more likely than those ages 50 and older to be equally concerned and excited. - While people in the youngest age group tend to express mixed feelings, they are also more likely than people in the oldest group to say they are *primarily excited.* - Adults ages 50 and older are more likely than the youngest group to say they are *primarily concerned.* ### Concern is rising among young people in several countries We have been tracking attitudes toward AI in the U.S. longer than in other countries. Our surveys have shown that while concern about AI has risen among Americans in all age groups, in recent years, concern has grown sharply among young adults. [![A set of line charts showing that Young adults’ concern about AI is up in 6 countries](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/09/pg_2026.09.17_global-views-of-ai_2_03.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=459131) Since 2024, the share of Americans ages 18 to 34 who are more concerned than excited about AI has jumped from 40% to 55%. The figure has remained stable or gone down among those ages 35 to 49 and those 50 and older. We asked this question in 24 other countries in both 2025 and 2026. **In several nations, young people have become more worried about AI in the past year.** For example, last year, 24% of Swedish adults under 35 were more concerned than excited, compared with 36% among those ages 50 and older. Today, 45% of Swedish adults under 35 and 43% of those 50 and older express this view. Concern among young people has also risen in Poland, Brazil, Japan and Australia. ### Young people are more likely to say AI will negatively impact jobs Our survey finds that people overall are more likely to believe AI will lead to fewer jobs rather than more jobs in their country. **But this** **pessimism is especially common among young people in some countries.** [![A dot plot showing that In some countries, younger people are more likely to think AI will lead to fewer jobs](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2026/09/pg_2026.09.17_global-views-of-ai_2_04.png?w=420){.alignright width=280}](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=459130) The age gap is among the largest in the Philippines, where 36% of adults under 35 say AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years, compared with only 11% of those ages 50 and older. There are significant differences in 12 other nations as well. In the U.S., large majorities of all age groups think AI will cause job loss in the coming decades. But Americans ages 18 to 34 are more likely to say this than those ages 50 and older, though this is driven by Americans 65 and older. Notably, older people don’t tend to see AI as a job *creator* at higher rates than younger people; they just tend to be more unsure. --- **Next:** [Concerns about AI are especially widespread in high-income countries](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2026/09/17/concerns-about-ai-are-especially-widespread-in-high-income-countries.md)