Research published by the Global Undergraduate Awards on 18 September 2026 found that 55% of participating undergraduates named AI as a significant concern, up from 48% a year earlier. That moved AI from fifth to second in their ranking of global concerns, behind only social and economic inequality and ahead of the climate crisis, mental health and environmental issues. It was the only issue in the top five to rise, while the overall field held broadly steady. The report says much of the fear related specifically to job loss. Jim Barry, chair of the GUA, said the findings "clearly show that AI is rising up the agenda as a key area of concern for undergraduates globally", adding: "This is something that policymakers need to take note of. The central focus is the job market post-graduation and what sort of impact AI is going to have on career prospects for many." Read the sample before the headline: the data comes from 400 students across more than 200 universities in nearly 100 countries, collected 8-15 June 2026. That is genuinely international but small, and the respondents are an awards cohort rather than a representative sample of students - so the seven-point rise is a signal worth logging, not a measurement of a generation.
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