A recent report found that nearly all American students (84%) use AI at least “several times a year,” and two-thirds use it monthly. investigation A survey of 11,443 high-achieving students conducted by the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS). The study also found that while the percentage of students who “never use AI” decreased from 36% in 2024 to 6% in 2026, nearly half (49%) use AI daily or weekly. The most common uses of AI include information retrieval (55 percent), brainstorming (51 percent), and proofreading (31 percent).
Other similar studies also suggest that the use of AI among students is becoming increasingly commonplace. According to university boardthe percentage of high school students who reported using generative AI tools for schoolwork increased from 79 percent in January 2025 to 84 percent in May 2025. Students use these tools for everyday school work, such as brainstorming ideas, editing or revising essays, conducting research, and finding sources.
The NSHSS survey also found that American students are confident in their future prospects. Almost all students (94%) are very, very, or somewhat confident about their future after college. Confidence in job prospects is particularly high, with the majority of students (79%) expecting to get a full-time job before or within six months after graduation.
Despite this confidence in their future, students were more pessimistic about the broader impact of AI. More than half of the respondents NSSS Research (69%) says AI will have more negative than positive impacts on society over the next 10 years, with 53% believing AI will have a “very” or “very” negative impact on privacy and security over the next 10 years.
There is growing concern about the impact of AI, particularly the loss of jobs. According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Centernearly a third (32%) of workers say AI will reduce their job opportunities in the long term. Thirty-six percent of employees say they feel hopeful about how AI will be used in the future, while 33% say they feel overwhelmed.
Despite such concerns, four in 10 workers who currently use AI in their jobs say it is very or very helpful in helping them get their work done faster. Similarly, 29% say AI has helped improve the quality of their work.
Survey data reveals disparities. Both workers and students are increasingly using AI, and while they say the tools can help reduce the time it takes to complete tasks they were already doing, they are concerned about the impact AI will have on society.
When it comes to the impact of AI on job security, fears of mass layoffs have so far not materialized. Federal Reserve Bank of New York Survey data suggests that companies are more likely to reskill employees or adjust their hiring plans than to lay off existing employees because of AI. Richard Deitz, economic policy advisor at the New York Fed, said: said Pimunto “Layoffs due to the use of AI are almost non-existent” Indeed, Federal Reserve System in 2026 The analysis concluded: “To date, there is no evidence that industries or companies with high levels of AI adoption are seeing a decline in job openings.”
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang claimed Many of the fears about AI come from confusing jobs with the tasks they are used to perform. “The purpose of your work and the tasks and tools you use to do your work are related, but not the same,” Huang says. His point is not that jobs will be abandoned by AI, but that automating tasks does not necessarily mean eliminating entire professions. As he says elsewhere: “You won’t lose your job to AI, but you will lose your job to someone using AI.”
Even as AI fuels job losses, the U.S. labor market’s flexibility allows it to better respond to change. employer can be terminated Employees can resign at any time and for almost any reason, and employees can resign at any time and for almost any reason. This flexibility means the market can adjust more quickly, even when jobs are being lost. a 2026 International Monetary Fund Paper It found that around one in 10 job postings in developed countries now requires at least one new skill, and that these skills “often appear first in the United States.” Many of these are technology-related, with an increasing proportion related to AI, and new skills are associated with higher wages and employment in the U.S. local labor market.
The relatively flexible labor market in the United States is perhaps part of the reason why emerging industries often begin in the United States. Peter Gallicano claim in work in progressEuropean countries have strict employment regulations, and companies are shifting away from industries that are more susceptible to layoffs, such as experimental technology and AI. Partly for this reason, compared to the United States, European economies are less likely to foster innovation and experimentation. It also means that when disruption occurs, the economy’s ability to adapt is significantly reduced and new job creation is slowed.
So while American students may be nervous about AI, they are already taking advantage of it and are in the best position in the world to succeed with it.
