Gen Z is anxious about using AI, too

• A new survey shows young Americans feel uneasy about AI.
• Despite their concerns, Gen Z knows AI is here to stay.
• Survey respondents want AI training but say schools aren't prepared.

Young Americans feel uneasy about AI — and a new survey shows they're not getting much help from their schools.

Four in 10 Gen Zers say they feel anxious about using AI, according to a Gallup poll by the Walton Family Foundation and GSV Ventures. Nearly half worry it's hurting their ability to think critically.

At the same time, Gen Z knows AI isn't going anywhere. About 44% say they'll need to know how to use it for their future careers.

The survey looked at how Gen Z uses AI in daily life and how they think it'll shape the future. It found that while nearly half of young people use generative AI weekly, many say they're doing so "without a map."

The findings are based on a web survey last month of nearly 3,500 13- to 28-year-olds living in the US.

Gen Z's feelings about AI echo broader national concerns. A separate survey by Pew Research Center last year found that more than half of US adults say they're more concerned than excited about AI's impact on the country over the next 20 years.

According to Pew, about 43% of adults said they think AI will harm them, while one-third said they weren't sure what to expect.

Only 23% of adults think it'll have a positive impact on how people do their jobs.

That survey was conducted in August last year with over 5,000 people ages 18 and over.

Gen Z wants a road map — and schools need to step up

Despite the clear demand for AI know-how, there's a gap between what Gen Z students want and what schools offer.

While over half of students think schools should be required to teach AI skills, 28% say their schools explicitly allow AI use. Nearly half either don't know their school's policy or say it doesn't have one.

Even when policies do exist, they're often confusing. Just one in three students said their school's rules around AI were "extremely clear."

That uncertainty is leading students to avoid AI altogether. About 47% said they skipped using AI for schoolwork because they weren't sure if it was allowed.

"AI is only becoming more embedded in the future of work and learning, and schools will play a critical role in helping students navigate it," said Stephanie Marken, a senior partner at Gallup, in a press release on Tuesday. "These findings point to a clear opportunity for educators to guide Gen Z in using AI with purpose and confidence."

In response to the demand for AI education, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School recently unveiled a new MBA major and undergraduate concentration in AI.

Faculty began discussing a new AI curriculum last year, Wharton professor Giles Hooker told Business Insider.

"We are at a critical turning point where practical AI knowledge is urgently needed," said Eric Bradlow, the vice dean of AI and Analytics at Wharton, in a university press release announcing the changes.

In China's capital, Beijing, AI education is compulsory for students — including elementary schoolers.

Starting this fall, schools in the city must provide at least eight hours of AI instruction per academic year, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission said last month.