People across Europe are sharply divided in how they perceive Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), such as ChatGPT, and its impact on their job security, a new cross-country study shows.
These divides follow remarkably similar patterns across eight countries: the United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, and Spain.
The study, led by Professor Florian Stoeckel from the University of Exeter, is based on survey data collected by YouGov from more than 11,000 adults. The findings show that public opinion is almost evenly split. On average, one third of respondents see GenAI as a job opportunity, one third as a threat, and one third as both.
"What stands out is the consistency of these patterns," said Professor Stoeckel. "Despite significant differences between countries in terms of wages, labour markets, and welfare systems, the same lines of division appear. These results suggest that perceptions of AI reflect deeper structural realities about who feels vulnerable and who feels empowered in the changing world of work.
"Many of the divides we observe are not unexpected, but they deserve more attention. At the moment, some of the groups of people who are already in structurally less advantaged positions feel particularly threatened by GenAI. This raises the risk that AI could deepen existing social and economic inequalities."
In most countries, women are more likely than men to view GenAI as a threat to their job security. The size of the gender gap varies, but the trend is consistent. In the UK, for instance, 41 percent of women see GenAI as a threat, compared to 34 percent of men. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to view GenAI as an opportunity.
Age also plays a role. In every country surveyed, people over the age of 30 are more likely to see GenAI as a threat than those under 30. The difference is particularly visible in Italy and Austria, where it amounts to around ten percentage points.
Class differences are also pronounced. People who identify as working class tend to see GenAI more frequently as a threat. In the UK, for example, 58 percent of working-class respondents say GenAI threatens their job security, compared to 32 percent of those who consider themselves middle or upper class.
The strongest divide across all countries is between those who use GenAI and those who do not. Even occasional users are significantly more likely to see GenAI as an opportunity for their job security.
In the UK, 48 percent of non-users see GenAI as a threat, compared to only 21 percent of users. In Hungary, where the gap is smaller, 29 percent of non-users say GenAI is a threat, compared to just 16 percent of users.
These patterns suggest that familiarity with the technology may reduce fear and increase perceptions of benefit, although further research is needed to understand this relationship more fully.
The data were collected in spring 2025 in collaboration with YouGov. All survey results are weighted to reflect national populations by age, gender, education, and region.
