A recent survey by Ipsos reveals a growing ambivalence toward artificial intelligence (AI) among younger Britons, contrasting with earlier more positive attitudes. While only about one in three people in the UK currently view AI as having a beneficial impact, the shift has been particularly pronounced among younger generations.

The Ipsos Global Trends report, which surveyed 38 countries, found that older age groups—such as baby boomers and Generation X—have consistently held negative views on AI for several years. However, the most significant change has come from Gen Z and millennials. Just last year, nearly 60% of Britons under 30 believed AI had a positive influence; this year that figure has dropped to just over 40%. Similarly, millennial optimism towards AI declined from 50% to around 40%.

This broader skepticism towards technology reflects a wider trend in the UK. In 2013, only 30% of Britons feared that technological progress was harming daily life, but that proportion has been steadily rising. Younger individuals are now more than twice as likely as baby boomers to hold such concerns, signaling a widening generational divide.

Despite these apprehensions, work-life balance has grown in importance for all age groups over the past decade. The proportion of Britons prioritizing a good work-life balance over career success rose from 80% in 2013 to 90% this year. Interestingly, however, more people now associate high-powered jobs with life satisfaction than in the past—rising from 25% more than ten years ago to roughly one-third today. This paradox is particularly evident among younger Britons, with nearly half of Generation Z seeing influence at work as a key component of fulfillment.

While uncertainties around AI and career prospects persist, the report highlights that young people maintain a notable level of optimism about their personal futures. Approximately 61% of Generation Z express confidence in their own and their families’ prospects, compared with less than half among older cohorts. They also tend to be more hopeful about the world in the next year, with one in four young Britons optimistic—twice the national average and significantly higher than the sentiment among those over 60.

Focus groups with recent school leavers suggest that much of this hope is grounded in close relationships, such as friendships and family ties, rather than broader societal trends.

Mike Clemence, Ipsos UK’s Director of Social Trends, interprets the findings as indicative of rising complexities rather than straightforward acceptance or rejection of technology. He notes that younger Britons are adopting AI more rapidly than older generations but growing increasingly uncertain about its role in their future success. Similarly, while they value work-life balance, their aspirations for career achievement remain strong, illustrating evolving tensions in how they view work and technology.

Overall, the future remains promising for young people in the UK, though the pathways to achieving success and satisfaction have become more ambiguous in an era shaped by rapid technological and social change.