As artificial intelligence moves deeper into everyday work, U.S. workers are heading into 2026 with growing unease about what the technology means for employment. A new national survey from Resume Now shows that most workers expect AI to reduce jobs across industries and increasingly threaten their own roles.
The findings suggest AI anxiety is no longer abstract. For many workers, concerns about automation are already shaping how they view job security, career planning, and the year ahead.
Most Workers Expect Net Job Loss From AI
Workers overwhelmingly believe AI will reduce employment rather than expand it. Sixty percent say AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates in the coming year. Only 12% expect job creation to outweigh losses, while 28% believe gains and cuts will roughly balance out.
That skepticism extends to industry-level expectations. Forty-six percent of workers anticipate job reductions in their field by the end of 2026, including 12% who expect large-scale losses. Just 4% believe AI will lead to net job growth in their industry.
Job Security Concerns Are Widespread
Concerns about personal job loss are now common. Fifty-one percent of workers say they are worried about losing their job to AI or automation in 2026. This includes 10% who say they are extremely worried and another 19% who report moderate concern.
While 49% say they are not worried, the overall data shows a workforce split between those feeling secure and a slightly larger share bracing for disruption.
Many Workers See AI Threats Arriving Soon
Longer-term fears are also mounting. Sixty-seven percent of workers believe AI will eventually threaten their job. Ten percent say that threat is already happening, while 15% expect it within the next one to two years. Another 21% believe their job will be threatened within three to five years, and 22% expect the impact later.
Only one-third of workers believe AI will never directly threaten their role.
AI Job Loss Is Becoming More Visible
AI-related displacement is no longer purely theoretical. Twenty percent of workers say they personally know someone who lost a job to AI in the past year, including 13% who know multiple people affected.
While most workers have not yet seen AI-driven layoffs firsthand, the growing visibility of job loss within professional networks appears to be intensifying concerns about personal job security.
Long-Term Career Confidence Is Eroding
Looking further ahead, nearly half of workers believe their job could be replaced by AI by 2030. Sixteen percent say replacement is very likely, while 30% believe it is somewhat likely. Only 16% say AI could never replace what they do.
This uncertainty is reflected in broader career sentiment. Fifty-four percent of workers say they feel pessimistic about how AI will affect their career over the next three years, with 12% describing themselves as very pessimistic.
A Workforce Bracing for Disruption
Taken together, the data points to a workforce preparing for contraction rather than expansion. Confidence that AI will meaningfully grow employment remains low, while expectations of job losses, role erosion, and industry disruption are widespread.
As AI adoption accelerates, workers appear to be adjusting their outlook accordingly — planning for a labor market where automation reshapes not just tasks, but job security itself.
