AI Seen Causing Net Job Losses in Most Countries, Pew Survey Finds

People in 34 of 37 countries surveyed say they expect artificial intelligence to result in fewer jobs rather than more jobs, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

A person uses an artificial intelligence application on a computer. A new Pew Research Center survey finds widespread concern about AI's potential impact on employment.

Concerns tend to be higher in wealthier countries, with similar patterns emerging in views about whether AI will widen the gap between rich and poor, according to the survey.

Pew surveyed 42,151 adults across 36 countries from Feb. 8 to May 13, 2026.

The United States was surveyed separately, bringing the total number of countries represented in the job-impact comparison to 37.

In high-income countries, a median of 55% of adults said AI would lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years, compared with 36% in middle-income countries. The survey also found that people in wealthier countries were more likely to say AI would increase economic inequality.

In South Korea, Australia, the United States, Greece and Canada, at least about four in 10 adults said AI would widen the gap between rich and poor.

Andrew Nusca reported the findings for Fortune Tech, noting that they challenge the long-standing expectation that technological revolutions ultimately create new employment opportunities even as they eliminate some existing jobs.

The concerns also echo a warning from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who wrote in an Aug. 26 essay that AI could transform industries much faster than earlier technological shifts.

“There will be some new jobs,” Gates wrote, “but without the right policies there will be far fewer than exist today.”