Pew poll: 34 of 37 countries expect AI to shrink jobs

A sweeping new global survey by the Pew Research Center found that in 34 of 37 countries, more people believe artificial intelligence will lead to fewer jobs than more jobs over the next two decades — a finding that underscores broad international anxiety about the technology's economic impact.pewresearch+1

Wealthy Nations Lead in Pessimism

The survey, which polled 42,151 people across 36 countries plus the United States between February and May 2026, found that across a 37-country median, 46% of respondents predicted fewer jobs, 13% said AI wouldn't make much difference, and just 9% expected it to create more employment. Roughly a quarter said they were unsure.gizmodo+1

South Korea and Australia tied as the most pessimistic nations, with 76% in each country saying AI would reduce jobs, followed closely by the United States at 71%. In the U.S. — the only country where Pew has tracked this question over time — the share expecting AI-driven job losses has risen 7 percentage points over the past two years.pewresearch+2

Nigeria was the lone outlier where slightly more people anticipated job creation than losses, while Thailand and the Philippines stood out for having large shares who said they were simply unsure.gizmodo+1

Young Adults and Wealthier Nations Most Worried

The data revealed a striking age dimension. In the U.S., concern about AI-related job loss has grown most sharply among adults ages 18 to 34, with the share expressing primary concern about AI jumping from 40% to 55% since 2024. Similar patterns appeared across Canada, France, Singapore and Sweden, as well as in middle-income nations like India and Indonesia.pewresearch+1

The survey also found that worries tend to run higher in countries with greater GDP per capita. In many middle-income countries, wealthier and more educated respondents were more likely to predict job losses, while those with lower incomes and less education were more often uncertain.pewresearch+1

Mixed Feelings, but Concern Outpaces Excitement

Beyond jobs, more people across the 37 countries said AI would increase rather than decrease the gap between rich and poor, particularly in wealthier nations. Israel was the only country where more people reported feeling primarily excited about AI rather than primarily concerned.pewresearch

Some industry voices have pushed back against the prevailing pessimism. Gartner ↘ 4.02% has argued that AI's larger opportunity lies in workforce amplification rather than automation, predicting that by 2029, 30% of employees laid off due to AI replacement may need to be rehired — potentially at higher costs. But for now, public sentiment appears to be moving in only one direction. As Pew noted, apprehension about AI has grown over the past year in Sweden, Poland, the Netherlands, Hungary and Australia, with concern among young people rising particularly fast.varindia+1