Poll: The older and richer you are, the more you like AI
Source: Politico EU โ
Optimism for AI increases with age and wealth, with young adults the most pessimistic, polling shared with POLITICO shows. LONDON โ Increasing age and financial security correspond to increasing positivity towards AI and what it can bring, according new polling from Public First shared with POLITICO. The least positive age group are 18 to 24-year-olds who are concerned about the technologyโs impact on their own thinking skills and career progression.
Although the heaviest users of the tech, more than a third of 18-24s worry that AI will make critical thinking harder, and exactly a third think developing career-relevant expertise will become more difficult, finds the polling . The age group was the most pessimistic across all career-related issues, spanning independent problem solving and learning from mentors. Compare the young adults to the 35 to 44-year olds, who use the tech as heavily as their younger counterparts, and a divergence is clear: only 19 percent of 18-24s think AI will improve both their own opportunities and society, whereas 28 percent of the older group does.
The AI tools available are the same, but the older group already have career experience and expertise. The results do not prove that financial insecurity causes pessimism, note the study authors, but highlight that as young adults are entering the jobs market without the financial and professional security of older groups, their concerns around AI sit on top of their existing uncertainties. This trend tracks into the future with similar results on questions around how AI affects peopleโs personal economic optimism.
โก Effects Interpreter
๐World Economylow impact
What this means for you
- โถCross-border money flows can gradually change direction after events like this.
- โถThe wider trading system tends to absorb shocks like this slowly.
๐๏ธLocal Economylow impact
What this means for you
- โถJobs and trade close to home might feel a soft knock-on effect.
- โถYour weekly shop may get a touch dearer, or cheaper, over time.
๐ฆRates & Bankslow impact
What this means for you
- โถLenders often reserve big rate moves for clearer economic signals.
- โถThe cost of borrowing tends to shift gradually rather than in one leap.
โค๏ธHealthlow impact
What this means for you
- โถKeeping a normal routine usually helps steady the nerves during unsettling news.
- โถLocal health services might get busier depending on how things develop.
๐ทWealthlow impact
What this means for you
- โถShort-term wobbles like this tend to even out given enough time.
- โถLong-term savers usually ride out these modest bumps just fine.
๐ Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- โถHousing supply and demand rarely turn on a single piece of news.
- โถAnyone selling soon might want a fresh valuation once the dust settles.
๐ Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone โ the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone โ the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone โ the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone โ the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone โ the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.