- Nearly half of UK adults would scrap generative AI altogether if given the choice
- 18-24 year olds most likely to kill GenAI and block new data center projects
- Public opinion around AI has actually dropped since ChatGPT launched
New YouGov data has revealed that almost half (42%) of UK adults would get rid of generative AI completely if they could, and a fifth (22%) are unsure whether or not they like the technology.
Perhaps the biggest shock is that young citizens aged 18 to 24 are among the most likely to want to get rid of AI: 55% of them would make it go away if they could. All older groups are less likely to feel this way.
Considering that only 27% of the youngest age group would not eliminate GenAI, that means they are twice as likely to want to get rid of it, even though other studies indicate that they might be among its most active users.
Young users most likely to turn against AI, multiple studies find
While autonomous agentic AI makes headlines for its ability to act on behalf of users, generative AI is still prevalent due to its ability to create content from an existing context. Its use cases span search engines, smartphones, productivity software, social media platforms, customer service systems and much more.
Despite multi-billion dollar investments from companies like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Anthropic and Meta in trying to integrate this technology seamlessly into the apps and services we use every day, it’s clear that the British public still sees this as a barrier.
But more than that, the public still fears that AI will replace human jobs, as tech giants continue to announce mass layoffs years after generative AI reached massive popularity in late 2022.
As for why younger audiences might be more anti-AI, it could simply be that more exposure creates greater skepticism. 18-24 year olds are also generally the most likely to use social media platforms, where AI-generated misinformation is frequently spread, and they are also among the hardest hit by an apparent loss of entry-level positions.
Trust in AI has plummeted since ChatGPT
Separately, a 2025 study exploring public perception of AI before and after ChatGPT found a decline in satisfaction, noting higher support for human-only decision-making and lower support for AI-only decision-making.
“The proportion of respondents believing that AI is “not at all acceptable” increased from 23% to 30%,” summarize the authors.
Unease, lack of trust and dissatisfaction with AI are actually global themes, with another biased US study finding that 50% of Americans feel more concerned than excited about the technology. Among the effects cited are poorer creative thinking and relationship formation, but Americans are slightly more optimistic about AI’s impacts on problem solving.
YouGov also surveyed UK citizens on their perceptions of ChatGPT in particular, ahead of the company’s IPO. The response has been largely positive, with consumer confidence in OpenAI’s offering generally above average.
Environmental and sustainability concerns are also of great importance when it comes to public perception: several US states, cities and regions have imposed moratoriums on new data center projects in recent months, citing energy, water and land constraints.
Nearly half (48%) of UK adults said they would oppose a new AI data center in their area, compared to just 20% of them – again, a sentiment that was more evident among younger citizens, challenging preconceived notions that 18-24 year olds are most pro-AI.
So even as tech giants continue to invest billions in the AI race, it’s clear they still need to convince the precise citizens their products target.
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