Exclusive: Most lower-wage workers think AI threatens their jobs
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Workers making under $50,000 annually are worried that AI will undermine their job security and make economic mobility more difficult, according to a poll from HarrisX and Merit America shared exclusively with Axios.
Why it matters: The calls for upskilling and job retraining in the age of AI are louder than ever, with the technology making workers of all income brackets across the country anxious.
By the numbers: 48% of those surveyed see potential in AI, while 52% are fearful or unclear on how it could impact their jobs in the future. Men and workers under 45 were more likely to view AI positively in the poll.
- 56% of those surveyed think they may have to change jobs because of AI, and 49% think they could lose their jobs to AI.
- 70% of those surveyed said they would stop the development of AI that could eliminate a lot of jobs.
What they're saying: "We need a DARPA-like approach to thinking about and preparing for the future — not a Katrina-like response once economic change has come," Rebecca Taber Staehelin, co-CEO of Merit America, a workforce skills nonprofit, said in a release.
- "America urgently needs to build a reskilling infrastructure that moves as fast as technology disruption."
Zoom in: Workforce training would go a long way toward easing economic uncertainties around AI, per poll results.
- 86% of respondents said they'd participate in free training and 76% said they'd feel more confident and prepared for AI if provided such training.
56% of those surveyed said the government is not prepared to handle AI.
- 67% want the government to do job training to prepare the workforce for AI.
- By party, 40% of respondents think Democrats are doing better at preparing U.S. workers for AI compared with 30% for Republicans.
- Silicon Valley is also viewed negatively, with 64% of respondents disagreeing with the idea that it cares about the impact of AI on ordinary citizens.
The big picture: Politicians on both sides of the aisle have talked about the importance of training workers on AI, and President Trump's AI action plan encourages AI re-skilling. But to date, there's no large-scale federally funded program doing that.
- Individual states are doing some AI training via partnerships with the private sector and grants.
Methodology: HarrisX and Merit America surveyed 3,048 lower-wage workers, with 68% of those making less than $35,000 a year, online from Oct. 28 to Nov. 11, 2025.
- Results have a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points.
The bottom line: Workers aren't necessarily against using AI, but until the government plays a major role in helping them adapt to this new economy, anxiety will remain high.
