As Artificial Intelligence (AI) permeates every layer of the global economy, from automated logistics in Singapore to creative software development in the United States, a profound psychological divide has emerged regarding the future of work. A comprehensive new report from the Pew Research Center, released on September 17, 2026, reveals that in 34 of the 37 countries surveyed, the prevailing public sentiment is one of apprehension. Across the globe, citizens are increasingly convinced that the rise of AI will result in a net loss of jobs rather than an engine for new employment opportunities.
The data paints a striking picture: a median of 46% of respondents across these 37 nations anticipate that AI will lead to fewer jobs in their respective countries over the next two decades. In stark contrast, a mere 9% believe AI will be a net job creator, while 25% remain uncertain—a figure that is significantly higher in developing and middle-income economies.
Main Facts: The Global Consensus on Automation
The Pew Research Center surveyed 42,151 adults between February 8 and May 13, 2026, creating one of the most robust snapshots of global sentiment to date. The findings suggest that the narrative of "technological unemployment" has moved from the halls of academia into the public consciousness with remarkable speed.
The survey highlights a clear correlation between a nation’s economic status and its citizens’ attitudes toward AI. High-income nations, as defined by World Bank classifications, exhibit a heightened level of awareness regarding AI tools, which conversely correlates with a higher degree of pessimism regarding job security. In these wealthier countries, 55% of adults anticipate a contraction in the job market due to automation. In middle-income nations, this figure drops to 36%, though this is largely balanced by a higher percentage of respondents who report they are simply unsure about the technology’s long-term impacts.
Chronology: The Escalation of Public Concern
The evolution of these attitudes has been rapid. While AI development has been ongoing for decades, the mainstreaming of generative AI in late 2022 acted as a catalyst for public discourse.
- Late 2022–2023: The launch of accessible Large Language Models (LLMs) triggers widespread experimentation and early concerns among white-collar professionals.
- August 2024: Initial surveys in the United States indicated that 64% of American adults feared AI-driven job losses.
- February–May 2026: Pew Research conducts its global survey of 36 countries (supplemented by specific U.S. data), tracking a marked increase in these anxieties.
- September 2026: The final report is published, showing that the U.S. figure has climbed to 71%, indicating that even as AI becomes more integrated into daily life, public skepticism is growing rather than dissipating.
Supporting Data: Wealth, Awareness, and the "Outlier" Effect
The report delves into the mechanics of why certain nations feel more vulnerable than others. The statistical correlation between GDP per capita and the expectation of job loss stands at 0.60, suggesting that as a country becomes wealthier, its population becomes more attuned to the potential disruptions caused by AI.
The Awareness Paradox
There is a 0.74 correlation between GDP per capita and "AI awareness"—defined as having heard or read a lot about the technology. In Japan, 56% of adults report high levels of awareness, whereas in Bangladesh, that figure is just 4%. Interestingly, in about half of the countries surveyed, higher awareness is positively correlated with higher anxiety. The more people understand about the capabilities of AI, the more they tend to fear its ability to replace human labor.
The Singaporean Anomaly
Not all wealthy nations follow the trend of high anxiety. Singapore, despite having a GDP per capita of nearly $100,000, serves as a notable outlier. Only 46% of Singaporean respondents expect AI to lead to fewer jobs—a figure significantly lower than the 76% observed in Australia and South Korea. This suggests that government policy, labor market flexibility, and cultural attitudes toward technology may play a mitigating role in how citizens perceive the looming shift in the labor landscape.
Implications: Inequality and the Digital Divide
Beyond simple job loss, the survey highlights deep-seated concerns regarding social cohesion. In high-income countries, 35% of respondents believe that AI will exacerbate the wealth gap between the rich and the poor, compared to 22% in middle-income countries.
This fear is grounded in the observation that AI disproportionately benefits capital owners and high-skill workers, potentially hollowing out the middle class. When asked about their emotional reaction to AI, 40% of adults in high-income nations reported feeling "more concerned than excited" about the growing use of AI in daily life.
However, the report notes that "concern" is not a uniform emotion. In South Korea, for instance, there is a high expectation of job loss, but it is tempered by a sense of inevitability or curiosity; 61% of South Koreans report being "equally concerned and excited," suggesting a nuanced relationship with the technology that goes beyond simple fear-mongering.
Official Perspectives and Expert Analysis
Analysts at the Pew Research Center suggest that in many middle-income countries, the narrative regarding AI is "still taking shape." The high percentage of "not sure" responses—reaching 34% in some regions—indicates that the impact of AI has not yet been felt in these local economies to the same degree as in the West or East Asia.
For policymakers, the implications are clear: the "AI divide" is not just about who has access to the technology, but about who has the psychological preparedness to navigate it. The fact that the U.S. has seen a seven-percentage-point increase in job-loss anxiety over the last two years suggests that existing policy frameworks—such as re-skilling initiatives and social safety nets—have yet to reassure the public.
The Road Ahead: Market and Societal Shifts
For marketers and corporate leaders, the Pew data serves as a vital indicator of consumer sentiment. While the data does not track specific product reactions, it provides a macro-view of the "trust deficit" that companies must overcome. If a population is fundamentally skeptical that AI will benefit their career, they are likely to be more resistant to the adoption of AI-driven products in their daily lives.
As the global community looks toward the next decade, the challenge for governments will be to move the conversation from "fear of replacement" to "augmentation of capability." The rise in awareness in countries like Nigeria—where the share of people having heard "a lot" about AI rose by 14 percentage points in a single year—shows that the world is rapidly catching up.
Whether this increased awareness will lead to a broader, more optimistic adoption of AI, or a hardening of public opposition, remains the defining question of the late 2020s. For now, the global consensus remains wary, signaling that the technological revolution will require not just engineering breakthroughs, but a massive investment in social and economic reassurance to maintain public confidence.
As the report concludes, the story of AI is still being written, and the final chapter will depend as much on political and economic leadership as it does on the underlying code of the machines themselves.
