Worker anxiety about technology job losses reaches new high, outpacing actual displacement

Twenty-seven percent of U.S. workers now worry technology will make their jobs obsolete, up from 13% when Gallup first asked the question in 2017, according to a August survey of 1,200 adults. Concern has risen among both college graduates and non-college graduates, with younger workers aged 18-44 showing particularly high anxiety at 34%, compared to 19% of older workers. The surge reflects growing worry about AI's impact on employment. However, Gallup notes that actual job displacement from AI remains modest so far, with recent employment data showing solid hiring and a 4.1% unemployment rate. The disconnect between perception and current reality suggests workers' anxiety may be anticipatory rather than responsive to documented layoffs.