Polls show Gen Z uses AI chatbots often but feels worse about them

In short: Gen Z is using AI chatbots regularly, but polling shows their opinions of AI are dropping as worries about jobs, learning, and social pressure grow.

What's going on

Gen Z, roughly people in their late teens through their 20s, has been a major group using AI chatbots like ChatGPT. These tools are “large language model” chatbots, which means they guess the next words to produce an answer, like a very advanced autocomplete.

But recent polling described by The Verge suggests that using these tools does not always make young people like them more. A Harvard-Gallup study found 74 percent of young adults in the US use a chatbot at least once a month. In the same survey, 79 percent said they worry AI makes people lazier, and 65 percent said chatbots can push “instant gratification” instead of real understanding.

Another Gallup poll found Gen Z optimism about AI has fallen. Only 18 percent said they feel hopeful about AI, down from 27 percent last year. Only 22 percent said they feel excited, down from 36 percent. Nearly half of Gen Z workers now say AI’s risks outweigh its benefits, and many say using AI to finish work faster can make learning harder later.

The Verge also points to social and workplace pressures. Some young people say they avoid chatbots because they fear job loss, dislike AI’s environmental costs, or worry it weakens communication and critical thinking. Others say they feel forced to use AI in school or to meet job requirements, even if they do not trust the results and still double-check them.

What to watch

Watch how schools and employers set rules for AI use, and whether clearer expectations reduce anxiety and “AI shame.” Also watch for more research on how heavy chatbot use affects learning and decision making over time.

Source: The Verge AI