Survey: in a first, Democrats are more concerned than Republicans about AI's growing role in daily life, at 56% to 49%; 75% of Democrats worry about job losses

A majority of Democrats now fear AI job displacement, influencing their political and economic priorities.

A June 2026 Pew Research Center survey revealed that 56% of Democrats express more concern than excitement about the growing role of artificial intelligence in daily life, surpassing Republicans at 49%. This marks a shift, with Democratic concern rising from 46% in 2023, while Republican concern has declined from 59% in 2023. The survey also found that 75% of Democrats now believe AI will lead to fewer jobs in the next 20 years, a 17-percentage-point increase from two years prior, whereas Republican views on job losses remained largely unchanged. Overall public concern about AI's increasing presence has grown, with about half of U.S. adults now more concerned than excited, up from 37% in 2021.

The survey indicates a growing partisan divide on AI, with Democrats becoming increasingly wary and Republicans showing a slight decrease in concern. This divergence suggests that AI's societal impacts, particularly on employment, are being perceived and discussed differently across the political spectrum, potentially shaping policy debates and electoral strategies.

As AI continues to integrate into daily life, this shift in Democratic sentiment highlights a key area of public anxiety that politicians and technologists will need to address. The increasing fear of job losses among Democrats points to a growing demand for regulations, retraining programs, and economic safety nets to mitigate AI's disruptive potential.