AI Can Permanently Take Away Jobs and Cause Political Chaos, Say US Citizens: Report

Artificial intelligence (AI) could permanently displace jobs, expressed two-thirds of adult US individuals who participated in a recent survey. The survey results also highlight that participants are worried that the technology can be used to stir up political chaos, and could even risk the future of humans. After generative AI first arrived on the scene in late 2022, many raised concerns that ranged from the rise of misinformation to the complete collapse of human societies. In 2025, many businesses, especially those focused on AI, believe the perception has grown more positive. However, this survey paints a different picture.

US Citizens Are Reportedly Worried About Losing Jobs and Relationships to AI

Reuters conducted the survey in collaboration with the market research and public opinion firm Ipsos. The survey was available to take for six days between August 13 and August 18. The report claims that 4,446 adult US residents participated in the survey, which asked six questions about how people perceived the technology and how likely they thought it was to have a negative impact on humanity.

Based on the results shared by the publications, 71 percent of individuals expressed concerns that AI will take away jobs permanently, while 77 percent claimed that the technology can be used to cause political unrest. The responses were noted at a time when multiple major tech companies have announced layoffs, and the job market is considered to be vulnerable. However, there is little evidence that the eliminated positions are being replaced by AI.

Interestingly, two-thirds of the surveyed individuals reportedly also shared that they fear AI can become a replacement for in-person relationships. The sentiment is relevant, given that just weeks ago, many ChatGPT users criticised the company for taking away the GPT-4o model, and even claimed “I lost my only friend overnight.”

Apart from this, 67 percent surveyed participants reportedly claimed “AI will have uncontrollable consequences,” while 58 percent said, “AI could risk the future of humankind.” Nearly half of the individuals also found AI to be detrimental to humanity, in general.

While a case can be made that the alarmist opinions are due to the loaded questions asked in the survey, as well as the small sample size and diversity distribution, it also highlights that, despite the exponential rate of development and deployment of new AI chatbots and tools, people still do not fully trust this technology.