I surveyed workers to see if AI had caused job losses and was surprised by the findings

Do artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT eliminate jobs, create new ones, or both? There’s a lot of speculation regarding this question, but little solid data in the U.S. to answer it.

I’m a sociologist who researches AI, among other topics. Seeking answers to that question and others, I commissioned an online survey by YouGov, a market research agency, to ask 1,250 U.S. workers between July 30 and Aug. 4, 2026, about their experiences with AI and their attitudes toward the technology.

The survey covered workers’ current use of AI, their perceptions of how it will affect their future job opportunities, and how they believe it has affected their job opportunities up until now. It is the basis of my study in progress, the results of which have not been peer reviewed.

The findings show that four years after ChatGPT’s debut in November 2022, AI has not yet resulted in substantial job losses or gains for these workers, contrary to what some AI pessimists and optimists might have predicted.

Only about 3% of workers said they had lost a job due to AI since 2023, while roughly 6% indicated they landed a job that didn’t exist before AI. Approximately 9% said they’ve earned a promotion or advancement related to AI.