It’s a question that’s keeping millions of Americans up at night: Will artificial intelligence (AI) take their jobs, disrupt democracy, and even threaten the very fabric of society? According to a sweeping new Reuters/Ipsos poll, anxiety over AI’s rapid rise is now at fever pitch, with concerns that reach far beyond the workplace and into the heart of American life.
The poll, conducted online between August 13 and 18, 2025, surveyed 4,446 U.S. adults nationwide. Its results are nothing short of striking—71% of respondents said they fear that AI will cause too many people to lose their jobs permanently. That’s not just a passing worry; it’s a majority consensus that cuts across age, region, and profession. This fear is not unfounded, either: major companies like Microsoft, Duolingo, and Walmart have already announced significant rounds of layoffs, many tied directly to their investments in AI technologies. Duolingo, for instance, declared in April that it was making its language-learning app "AI-first," a move that has rippled through its workforce.
But job loss, as it turns out, is only the tip of the iceberg. The same poll found that 77% of Americans are deeply concerned about the potential for AI-driven political chaos, especially as generative AI tools become capable of creating convincing fake images, videos, and news. The specter of deepfakes—like the viral video showing former President Barack Obama being "arrested" by Donald Trump, which was completely fabricated—has made many Americans wary of what’s real and what’s not, particularly in an election year. As Reuters noted, “AI tools, particularly image and video generators, have the potential to create distorting or manipulative content that can mislead voters or undermine trust in political information.”
The unease doesn’t stop there. Nearly half of those surveyed (48%) said the federal government should never use AI to locate targets for military strikes, while only 24% supported such use. The rest were unsure, reflecting a nation divided on whether to trust machines with life-and-death decisions. This discomfort is echoed in other areas, too: 67% of respondents said they worry AI will have uncontrollable consequences, and 58% believe AI poses a risk to the future of humankind itself.
Energy consumption is another major sticking point. A hefty 61% of Americans said they are concerned about the vast amounts of electricity needed to power AI systems. These worries are well-founded—data centers that run AI models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini require enormous computing power and, by extension, vast amounts of energy. As these systems scale up, their environmental footprint grows, raising questions about sustainability in a world already grappling with climate change.
Perhaps more surprising is the growing anxiety over AI’s impact on personal relationships. About two-thirds of Americans surveyed said they fear people will increasingly turn to digital AI companions instead of real human connections. This isn’t just a theoretical concern: companies have already rolled out AI chatbots and virtual partners, and users sometimes treat these digital characters as friends or even therapists. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has admitted that the trend makes him "uneasy," especially as more people confide in AI systems for emotional support.
Education is another area where the American public is divided. According to the poll, about 40% believe AI will harm education, while 36% think it could improve it; the remaining 24% are undecided. This split reflects broader uncertainty about whether technology will help or hinder students and teachers. With AI tools now capable of writing essays, grading assignments, and even generating lesson plans, the traditional classroom is being reshaped in real time. Some see this as an opportunity for innovation, while others worry it could erode critical thinking and creativity.
These anxieties are not just theoretical. The U.S. job market is already showing signs of strain. In July 2025, payrolls grew by only 73,000 jobs—a sharp drop from the 110,000 that economists had anticipated—while the unemployment rate edged up to 4.2%, the highest since October 2021. This slowdown has hit knowledge workers especially hard, from entry-level positions to management. Microsoft Research, in a July 2025 paper, analyzed 200,000 anonymized conversations with its Bing Copilot AI and found that jobs in law, journalism, customer service, finance, and even medicine are increasingly vulnerable to automation.
It’s not just American workers who are worried. A January 2025 World Economic Forum report found that 41% of employers worldwide expect to cut jobs as AI continues to improve. Meanwhile, a report from SignalFire, a venture capital firm, revealed that big tech companies have reduced hiring new graduates by 25% from 2023 to 2024. For Generation Z—students and recent graduates entering the workforce—the future feels especially uncertain. As Reuters noted, "Gen Z graduates, many of whom already juggle student debt, are asking whether they are preparing for roles that could soon be automated out of existence."
So, what’s the path forward? Experts and policymakers are beginning to grapple with the implications. Many argue that job security must be redefined, with governments and businesses investing in retraining programs and social safety nets for displaced workers. Education systems may need to pivot, emphasizing creativity, adaptability, and critical thinking—skills that are less likely to be automated. And as public fears about democracy, relationships, and warfare mount, there’s a growing call for responsible, transparent AI development and stricter ethical guidelines.
Despite the anxiety, some remain hopeful that AI could ultimately create new opportunities, just as the internet did in previous decades. Roles like AI ethics officers, digital trust managers, and climate-tech innovators are already emerging. But for now, as the Reuters/Ipsos poll makes clear, most Americans remain unconvinced that the promise of new industries will outweigh the threat of permanent job loss and societal upheaval.
As AI continues to reshape the world at breakneck speed, Americans are left to navigate a landscape filled with both promise and peril—hoping that the technology’s benefits won’t be overshadowed by its risks.
