Gen Z Still Uses AI Weekly, But Anger and Skepticism Are Climbing Fast

Gen Z has a complicated relationship with artificial intelligence — and it is getting more complicated by the month. A new survey from the Walton Family Foundation, GSV Ventures, and Gallup finds that while 51% of Gen Zers in the U.S. still use generative AI at least weekly, their emotional relationship with the technology has shifted sharply negative over the past year.

The Numbers

Excitement about AI dropped 14 percentage points to 22%.

Hopefulness fell 9 points to 18%.

Anger increased 9 points to 31%.

Anxiety held steady at 42%.

Even daily AI users — who generally hold more favorable views — have not become more positive over the past year. Usage is stable. Sentiment is deteriorating.

What Changed

Gen Zers are less convinced that AI improves efficiency in learning and completing tasks. The 56% who agree AI tools can help expedite work is down 10 points from 2025. Agreement that AI can accelerate learning fell 7 points to 46%.

The majority believe AI-driven efficiency may come at a cost — particularly to learning, creativity, and critical thinking.

In the workplace, 48% of employed Gen Zers say AI's risks outweigh its benefits. And 69% trust human-only work more than AI-assisted output.

The Global Picture

Pew Research's September 17 global survey of 37 countries found similar patterns. Young adults under 35 are increasingly more concerned than excited about AI, particularly regarding job losses. In the Philippines, 36% of adults under 35 expect AI to reduce jobs over 20 years, compared to just 11% of those 50 and older.

Concern about AI has grown sharply among young Americans in recent years, even as it rises across all age groups.

The Boycott Movement

Some young people are going further than skepticism. ABC News reported on students boycotting AI entirely, citing concerns about environmental impact, military applications, deepfakes, privacy, and effects on learning. One study found AI use lifted homework results while exam scores fell 20% — suggesting dependency without comprehension.

Neuroscientists warn that offloading deep thinking to AI could affect neural connection development in young brains. Educators are grappling with how to assess learning in a world where take-home assignments can be AI-generated.

The Cultural Tension

This is the defining cultural tension of Gen Z in 2026: a generation that will need AI skills for careers increasingly doubts whether AI is good for them. They agree they will need AI skills for postsecondary education (an increased majority). They are not sure the tradeoff is worth it.

It is the same tension playing out in dating (AI-generated profiles and conversations), creativity (AI art flooding platforms), and identity (what counts as authentic when machines can mimic anything).

What This Means Beyond Gen Z

The Gen Z AI sentiment shift is an early indicator, not an isolated phenomenon. As AI capabilities expand, every generation will face the question Gen Z is answering now: is this making my life better, or am I trading something I cannot get back?

The tech industry celebrates adoption metrics. Gen Z is suggesting that adoption without enthusiasm is a warning sign — not a victory lap.

Mondays covers the culture that technology creates, not just the technology itself. In September 2026, that culture is anxious, skeptical, and still logging in every week. That contradiction is the story.