Gen Z's AI Use Grows, But So Does Their Resentment

A new report reveals that Gen Z's opinion of AI tools has hit a new low, with only 18% feeling hopeful (down from 27% last year) and 22% excited (down from 36%). Despite 74% of young adults using chatbots monthly, 79% worry AI makes people lazier, and 65% say it prevents critical engagement. Young people face a contradiction: told AI will eliminate jobs yet pressured to use it. Many, like art teacher Meg Aubuchon (27) in Los Angeles, avoid AI entirely. Sharon Freystaetter (25) left a Silicon Valley cloud engineering job over ethical and environmental concerns, now working in food service in New York. A Harvard-Gallup study shows 56% say AI helps them work faster, but 80% admit it hinders future learning. Universities are integrating AI, sparking backlash: the University of Pennsylvania student newspaper called AI adoption 'quickening its own demise,' and Oberlin College's Luddite Club protested using a typewriter. MIT Media Lab research found decreased brain activity when using AI for essays. Alex Hanna of DAIR notes Gen Z is 'more realistic' about AI limits than boosters like Sam Altman. Emma Gottlieb, a technical sales worker, calls AI 'a load of bullshit for outsourcing jobs.' AI use carries social stigma, with a University of Pittsburgh study showing peers view it as a 'red flag.' Freystaetter worries more about Gen Alpha growing up with uncritical AI integration.