Gen Z's fading AI hype
TL;DR
Data: Walton Family Foundation, GSV Ventures and Gallup survey; Table: Avery Lotz/Axios Gen Z's sentiment toward artificial intelligence has shifted in the last year, with teens and 20-somethings less excited about the tech — and more angry, according to a newly released report. Why it matters: Despite a growing share of workplace leaders and some higher ed institutions embracing AI, a generation that's grown up online remains skeptical about its impact on learning and professional skills. By the numbers: The share of Gen Z respondents who agree that AI makes them excited fell from 36% last year to 22% in 2026, per the findings from the Walton Family Foundation, GSV Ventures and Gallup. Additionally, a smaller share feel hopeful (18%) this year than last (27%) — and a larger share say they feel angry (22% to 31%). That rising anger may be driven by AI dimming prospects for entry-level wo.
Nauti's Take
Declining AI enthusiasm among Gen Z is not a crisis - it is a maturity signal, replacing uncritical hype with more nuanced views. The real warning is the rising anger: young people see concrete threats to entry-level job prospects, not abstract fears.
Companies that position AI as a tool for employees rather than a replacement for junior roles have a real opportunity to rebuild trust with this generation.
Summary
Data: Walton Family Foundation, GSV Ventures and Gallup survey; Table: Avery Lotz/Axios Gen Z's sentiment toward artificial intelligence has shifted in the last year, with teens and 20-somethings less excited about the tech — and more angry, according to a newly released report. Why it matters: Despite a growing share of workplace leaders and some higher ed institutions embracing AI, a generation that's grown up online remains skeptical about its impact on learning and professional skills.
By the numbers: The share of Gen Z respondents who agree that AI makes them excited fell from 36% last year to 22% in 2026, per the findings from the Walton Family Foundation, GSV Ventures and Gallup. Additionally, a smaller share feel hopeful (18%) this year than last (27%) — and a larger share say they feel angry (22% to 31%).
That rising anger may be driven by AI dimming prospects for entry-level wo
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