AI at Work: Majority Negative Reviews on Glassdoor in 2026

In the United States, employee feedback regarding AI turned negative by mid-2026. Entire professions, sectors, and even age groups have opposing views, with Generation Z women being particularly skeptical. The reasons for dissatisfaction go beyond fears of job losses and also touch on the quality of tools and methods of adoption.

Experts and the public diverge, with acknowledged sample limitations

There is a significant gap between experts and the public: according to Stanford's AI Index 2026, 73% of American experts believe that AI has a positive impact on employment, compared to 23% of the public. In April, a survey conducted among American adults revealed that Generation Z is particularly critical of AI. According to Anthropic, there is widespread skepticism among workers, especially regarding skill erosion and fears of job losses. Comments posted on Glassdoor are not representative of all American employees, as dissatisfied workers tend to leave reviews more frequently. The variation in opinions over time is considered more significant than raw data, provided that the platform's inherent negative bias has not evolved.

Positive feedback drops to 43% while negative feedback rises to 53%

The share of positive opinions on AI has decreased from 81% in 2019 to 43% by mid-2026, while negative opinions have reached 53%. Employee feedback has thus become more critical over the years. Mentions of AI in reviews have also significantly increased: they accounted for less than 0.2% of reviews in January 2019 and exceeded 2.3% in May 2026, with annual growth reaching up to 240%. Between May 2025 and May 2026, references to AI increased by 240%. Professions with low exposure to AI, such as butchers or electricians, rarely mention the topic, but as soon as a position has moderate exposure, comments about AI appear in almost all professions, regardless of the actual risk of automation.

Professions and sectors: hubs of criticism and pockets of support

In certain sectors, the perception of AI is particularly unfavorable: insurance claims professionals, writers, and customer service agents predominantly express negative judgments, sometimes at a ratio of four to one. Insurance claims experts and journalists are among the most critical groups, with up to 98% and 81% negative opinions, respectively. In the tech industry, AI is the most frequently discussed topic, with a balanced distribution between positive and negative feedback, while the media and communication sectors exhibit a more critical attitude. Employees in the arts and nonprofit organizations show the most unfavorable judgments. The proportion of negative opinions also varies by company size: it stands at 51% in companies with fewer than 200 employees, compared to 67% in those with more than 10,000 employees. Among professions, software architects mention AI the most and generally speak of it positively, while 57% of software engineers' feedback is negative.

Two profiles of positive feedback: market winners and equipped users

Among the detailed positive reviews, 44% come from employees whose companies benefit from the rise of AI. 41% praise the provision of tools, training, and support for AI adoption. About 27% of positive feedback remains generic, without details on concrete benefits.

The roots of distrust: employment, mandates, and customer experience

The fear of losing one's job accounts for 20% of negative feedback, making it the most common complaint, but it is not the only one. 14% of negative comments mention a mandate to use AI, and 13% view it as a distraction or a degradation of customer experience. 10% criticize an internal use deemed alienating, citing surveillance or automated messages from management, and 8% consider the productivity expectations related to AI unrealistic. Conversely, about 10% of negative reviews criticize the company for adopting AI too slowly or providing poor tools, indicating an underlying favorable attitude toward AI. Glassdoor analysts note that some negative sentiments are found in office jobs already exposed to burnout and fear of layoffs, and many reviews explicitly associate AI with job cuts. Thus, the criticisms extend beyond the mere fear of losing one's job.

Demographic divides: gender and generation at the forefront

Overall, 45% of men express positive opinions about AI, compared to 32% of women. Generation X shows 47% favorable feedback, ahead of millennials at 40% and Generation Z at 33%. Among young people, the gap is particularly pronounced: 21% of reviews from Generation Z women are positive, compared to 42% among men in the same cohort. For Generation X, the gender gap can be explained by differences in industry and profession, which is not the case for Generation Z. Between 2025 and 2026, the gender gap widens, especially among the youngest. Hierarchically, managers and executives remain the most positive toward AI.