Third of university students in Great Britain think AI job losses will cause social unrest, poll finds | AI (artificial intelligence)
Publish Date: 2026-05-18 19:01:00
Source Domain: www.theguardian.com
- One in Three University Students Fear AI Job Displacement: A survey by King’s College London (KCL) found that 34% of university students think AI will rapidly wipe out jobs, causing civil unrest, a higher proportion than the 22% of the general public.
- High AI Usage Among Students: 77% of students use AI at least a few times a month, with 27% reporting daily or near-daily use, compared to 46% of workers.
- Pessimistic Outlook on AI’s Economic Impact: More than half of university students believe AI job losses will be worse than in a normal recession.
- Mixed Feelings About AI’s Overall Impact: While university students are more negative about AI’s effects on jobs, they have more positive views on AI’s benefits to humanity compared to the general public, particularly male students.
- AI Encounter Issues: 90% of university students have encountered problems with AI, mainly factual errors and made-up sources, though many do not always check AI output.
- University Preparation for AI-Shaped Job Market: While 60% of students believe universities can prepare them for AI-related jobs, only 36% feel they are actually being adequately prepared.
- Future Positive Outlook: Experts at KCL believe with proper training and support, AI can lead to rising productivity, broader opportunities, higher incomes, and faster scientific progress.
