Worker Anxiety Over AI Is Growing, and Employers Aren't Preparing Employees for What's Next, New Survey Finds

JFF research highlights AI's disproportionate impact on early-career workers and points to the need for greater employer support

BOSTON, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In a marked shift from a year ago, workers are now more likely to say AI is a net-negative than a net-positive when it comes to finding jobs, building wealth, and securing their quality of life, according to a new national survey released today by national nonprofit Jobs for the Future (JFF). The survey, conducted by AudienceNet in late 2025, also found that early-career workers are more likely to feel AI's impact on their jobs compared to those with more experience. In addition, just over one-third of workers say employers are providing the training, guidance, or opportunities they need to use AI in their jobs, a drop of almost 10 percentage points.

The new research builds on a 2024 JFF survey, which found that a plurality of workers—defined as anyone employed—said AI did more good than harm across society. In the new survey, the sentiment flipped; more workers now say AI does more harm than good. Optimism about AI's impact on workers also fell by 10 percentage points. In the 2024 survey, nearly half of respondents felt somewhat or very optimistic about the impact of AI on workers. In the new survey, only about one-third of workers (39%) say they feel optimistic.

"As it becomes ubiquitous in our working lives, AI still has the potential to help more people access quality jobs, practice new skills, and build sustainable livelihoods," said Ben Pring, Vice President of JFF's Center for Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Work. "But the new survey shows growing concern about the pace of AI adoption and a clear gap in employer support. Workers want to be part of the transition—and we risk widening gaps if they are not given the tools and voice they need to engage."

According to the American Job Quality Study (AJQS), a groundbreaking report released last October by JFF, Gallup, the Families & Workers Fund, and the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, workers who report having a lot of influence over how tech tools like AI are used in their workplace are more than twice as likely to report high job satisfaction as those who say they have no influence. Despite the strong link between job satisfaction and worker agency, the AJQS found that few employees have a meaningful say in tech decisions. JFF's new research on AI reinforces this finding: 56% of workers surveyed say their employers have not consulted them about how AI tools are used in their work.

Additional key findings from the new survey include:

The new survey was conducted by AudienceNet between November 28 and December 8, 2025, with 3,020 respondents aged 16 and above. JFF's first survey of workers' and learners' perspectives on AI was conducted between November 20 and 27, 2024, with 2,754 respondents aged 16 and above. To ensure a robust data set, both surveys oversampled JFF's focus populations—people without a four-year degree, people of color, women, and people with a record of arrest, conviction, or incarceration—who are often underrepresented in AI-related research. The data was weighted to reflect each group's share of the U.S. population using the latest Census benchmarks.

JFF has developed resources for workforce and education practitioners, employers, investors, and policymakers to take steps to ensure that AI improves job quality, supports economic advancement, and expands opportunity. To learn more and access additional survey findings, visit JFF's website.

About Jobs for the Future (JFF) JFF transforms U.S. education and workforce systems to drive economic success for people, businesses, and communities. www.jff.org.

SOURCE JFF