A new national survey finds that most Americans are uneasy about AI's impact on the workplace. Conducted by Elon University's Imagining the Digital Future Center, the study found 83% of U.S. adults believe AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates. Additionally, 65% worry that people will lose their sense of purpose if work becomes less meaningful. Despite these concerns, 66% of respondents say they are comfortable using AI at work or would be with proper training.
The survey of 775 employed adults also revealed that only 11% believe government agencies would support workers displaced by AI. Lee Rainie, the center's director, noted that workers fear AI will hollow out the meaning of work. Separately, data from OpenAI shows that jobs for workers aged 22 to 25 in AI-exposed fields have shrunk since ChatGPT launched in 2022, as companies cut entry-level roles while retaining senior staff who already know how to use AI tools.
In healthcare, Sarah London, CEO of Centene, sees AI's biggest opportunity beyond billing automation. She described using AI to help community health workers triage non-acute problems in rural areas and giving patients interactive tools to make initial decisions about health concerns. London said savings on administration could be redirected toward patient benefits.
Meanwhile, Cognizant's study identified what it calls the Activation Gap: four out of five employees want to use AI more than their current jobs allow. Ravi Kumar S, Cognizant's CEO, said willingness is already there but is the hardest part of any technology shift. The study found 72% of workers fall into two groups: Navigators, who are willing but blocked by rules, and Stalwarts, who need a clearer business case. It also found 87% of satisfied users turn to unsanctioned tools when approved options do not work well.
On the education front, schools and parents in the Capital Region are debating AI's role in classrooms. Natalie Gibson, founder of Hey-Otto, argues AI is here to stay and should be taught responsibly, with her platform including security measures and parent alerts. Harrison Watkins of Schools Beyond Screens urges districts to pause AI deployment until research confirms it helps students. New York City has imposed a one-year ban on student-facing generative AI through eighth grade.
Georgia Tech opened Nexus, a new AI supercomputer housed at its Coda data center in Atlanta, supported by a $20 million National Science Foundation investment. Built with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, at least 90% of its computing capacity will be available to the national science and engineering community through a peer-reviewed application process. Potential uses include drug discovery, neuroscience, energy, aerospace, robotics and advanced manufacturing research.
Z.ai released GLM-Legal, a legal AI model built on GLM-5.3-Flash for contract review, evidence analysis and compliance research. It scored a 19.2% all-pass rate on Harvey's Legal Agent Benchmark, nearly three times its base model's 6.7%. On the same benchmark, GLM-Legal ranked ahead of Kimi K3 at 12.92% and Claude Fable 5 at 11.25%. Access is application-only, and the API is not publicly available. It costs $0.15 per Harvey LAB test versus $19.23 for Claude Fable 5.
Kim Maida, head of developer relations at Keycard, warns that companies deploying autonomous AI agents are creating serious security risks. He argues that giving AI agents full access to private databases, untrusted content, and external systems is a security nightmare. His comments were made on the AI Engineer podcast.
The 15th Universités africaines de la communication de Ouagadougou forum ended with recommendations for stronger journalism standards and AI training. Burkina Faso's Minister Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo presented four priority areas, including strengthening information verification, promoting media literacy, expanding professional training, and encouraging diverse content. The recommendations identify AI, cybersecurity, and digital verification as priority skills, though no specific budget or timetable was announced.
Some healthcare providers worry that switching costs could rise as vendors embed more AI tools into daily workflows. Federal regulators recently finalized a rule barring insurers from listing ghost rates and standardizing pricing files, which could expose health plans to more scrutiny. The concern is that deeper AI integration in electronic health record systems makes it harder for hospitals and clinics to move to a different vendor.
Key Takeaways
- <ul><li>83% of U.S. adults expect AI to eliminate more jobs than it creates, according to an Elon University survey of 775 employed adults.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>Only 11% of surveyed workers believe government agencies would support them if AI affected their jobs.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>OpenAI data shows jobs for workers aged 22 to 25 in AI-exposed fields have shrunk since ChatGPT launched in 2022.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>Cognizant's study found four out of five employees want to use AI more than their jobs allow, calling it the Activation Gap.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>Centene CEO Sarah London sees AI's biggest healthcare opportunity in community care triage and patient decision-making tools.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>Natalie Gibson, founder of Hey-Otto, argues AI should be taught responsibly in schools while New York City has banned student-facing generative AI through eighth grade.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>Georgia Tech's new Nexus AI supercomputer is backed by a $20 million National Science Foundation investment, with 90% of capacity available to the national research community.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>Z.ai's GLM-Legal scored 19.2% on Harvey's Legal Agent Benchmark, outperforming Claude Fable 5 at 11.25% and Kimi K3 at 12.92%, at a cost of $0.15 per test versus $19.23.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>Kim Maida of Keycard warns that autonomous AI agents with access to private databases and external systems pose serious security risks.</li></ul>
- <ul><li>The Ouagadougou forum recommended AI, cybersecurity, and digital verification as priority skills for African media, though no budget or timetable was set.</li></ul>
Most Americans worry AI will reduce jobs and purpose at work
A new survey from Elon University's Imagining the Digital Future Center, conducted by SSRS, found that most U.S. adults are worried about AI changing work. 83% expect AI to eliminate more jobs than it creates. 65% believe people will lose their sense of purpose if work becomes less meaningful. Still, 66% say they are comfortable using AI at work or would be with more training.
North Carolina survey explores AI fears about jobs and purpose
A national survey of 775 employed adults by Elon University's Imagining the Digital Future Center found broad concern about AI in the workplace. 83% expect AI to eliminate more jobs than it creates, and 68% believe most jobs will pay too little for a decent lifestyle. Lee Rainie, the center's director, said workers worry AI will hollow out the meaning of work. Only 11% believe government agencies would support them if AI affected their jobs.
Capital Region debates AI use in classrooms
Schools and parents in the Capital Region are debating how AI should be used in classrooms. Harrison Watkins of Schools Beyond Screens wants districts to pause AI deployment until research shows it helps students. Natalie Gibson, founder of Hey-Otto, argues AI is here to stay and should be taught responsibly. Her platform includes security measures and alerts parents to potential misuse. New York City officials have imposed a one-year ban on student-facing generative AI through eighth grade.
AI agents pose serious security risks, expert warns
Kim Maida, head of developer relations at Keycard, warns that companies deploying autonomous AI agents are creating major security risks. He argues that giving AI agents full access to private databases, untrusted content, and external systems is dangerous. He calls this combination a security nightmare. His comments were made on the AI Engineer podcast.
Ouagadougou forum calls for AI training in African media
The 15th Universités africaines de la communication de Ouagadougou (UACO) forum ended with recommendations for stronger journalism standards and AI training. Burkina Faso's Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Pingdwende Gilbert Ouedraogo, presented four priority areas. These include strengthening information verification, promoting media literacy, expanding professional training, and encouraging diverse content. The recommendations identify artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital verification as priority skills. No specific budget or implementation timetable was announced.
Cognizant study reveals workers want more AI than their jobs allow
A Cognizant study found that four out of five employees want to use AI more than their current jobs permit. The company calls this the Activation Gap. Ravi Kumar S, Cognizant CEO, said willingness is the hardest part of any technology shift and it is already there. The study found that 72% of workers fall into two groups: Navigators, who are willing but blocked by rules, and Stalwarts, who need a clearer business case. It also found that 87% of satisfied users turn to unsanctioned tools when approved options do not work well.
Georgia Tech launches AI supercomputer Nexus for national research
Georgia Tech opened Nexus, a new AI supercomputer housed at its Coda data center in Atlanta. A $20 million National Science Foundation investment supports the system, which Georgia Tech built with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. At least 90% of its computing capacity will be available to the national science and engineering community through a peer-reviewed application process. Potential uses include drug discovery, neuroscience, energy, aerospace, robotics and advanced manufacturing research. Nexus is the first national academic supercomputer Georgia Tech has hosted.
Centene CEO sees AI opportunity in community care and patient control
Sarah London, CEO of Centene, said healthcare's biggest AI opportunity is not just automating billing and paperwork. She believes AI can change how care is delivered and who can access it. One idea is using AI to help community health workers triage non-acute problems in rural areas, possibly avoiding emergency room visits. The other is giving patients interactive tools to make initial decisions about a health concern without needing a clinician at every step. London said saving money on administration can let companies apply those dollars to patient benefits.
Z.ai GLM-Legal outperforms Claude Fable 5 and Kimi K3 on Harvey benchmark
Z.ai released GLM-Legal, a legal AI model built on GLM-5.3-Flash for contract review, evidence analysis and compliance research. It scored a 19.2% all-pass rate on Harvey's Legal Agent Benchmark, nearly 3 times its base model's 6.7%. On the same benchmark, GLM-Legal ranked ahead of Kimi K3 at 12.92% and Claude Fable 5 at 11.25%. It also passes 92.5% of individual criteria. Access is application-only, and the API is not publicly available. It costs $0.15 per Harvey LAB test versus $19.23 for Claude Fable 5.
AI tools could make switching EHR vendors more difficult for providers
Some healthcare providers worry that switching costs could rise as vendors embed more AI tools into their daily workflows. Federal regulators recently finalized a rule that bars insurers from listing ghost rates and standardizes pricing files. That rule could expose health plans to more scrutiny. The concern is that deeper AI integration in electronic health record systems makes it harder for hospitals and clinics to move to a different vendor.
AI Changes Job Market for Gen Z Workers
Artificial intelligence is changing the job market differently for experienced workers and young people. Software engineers with ten years of experience still have plenty of work, but recent graduates face many applications and few job offers. Data from OpenAI shows that jobs for workers aged 22 to 25 in AI-exposed fields have shrunk since ChatGPT was released in 2022. This decline happens because companies are cutting entry-level positions while keeping senior employees who already know how to use AI tools. Some jobs like home health aides are growing because they require physical presence and human trust that AI cannot replace. Experts suggest young people should focus on durable jobs that need them to show up and make responsible decisions.
Sources
- The Meaning of Work in the AI Age
- Will AI make work easier or workers obsolete? New NC survey asks workers
- Debate Grows Over AI in Classrooms
- Kim Maida: The "Lethal Trifecta" That Makes Your AI Agent a Security Nightmare
- Ouagadougou Media Forum Calls For AI Training And Stronger Information Verification
- Cognizant study says workers want more AI use than jobs allow
- Georgia Tech's new AI supercomputer could help advance medicine, robotics and energy research
- Centene CEO sees health care’s biggest AI opportunity beyond automation
- Z.ai GLM-Legal Beats Claude Fable 5 and Kimi K3 on Harvey LAB
- Why AI could make it harder to switch EHR vendors
- Will artificial intelligence take Gen Z's jobs? Depends who you ask.
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