Report · AI & Tech

About one in four Americans worry AI could take their job

Reading

Roughly a quarter of Americans (23%) say they are very or somewhat concerned about AI taking their job in 2026, including 7% who are very concerned, according to a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults fielded Dec. 22, 2025-Jan. 5, 2026.

About half (49%) say they are not concerned at all, while 28% say they do not work.

Topline

response scale

Topline scale

About one in four Americans worry AI could take their job.

To what extent, if at all, are you concerned about AI taking your job in 2026?

  • Not concerned at all 48.8%
  • I do not work 28.1%
  • Somewhat concerned 16.1%
  • Very concerned 7.0%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

predictions

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-12-22 → 2026-01-05
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
predictions

Source

Citation

2026 Predictions Survey #2025-183, fielded December 22, 2025-January 5, 2026, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/2026-predictions

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.