Glassdoor Data Shows US Workers Sour on Workplace AI

A Glassdoor analysis of reviews from January 2019 through mid-2026 reveals a dramatic shift in how employees view artificial intelligence. Positive sentiment toward AI among U.S. workers plummeted from 81 percent to 43 percent, while negative remarks reached 53 percent. Reviews mentioning terms like AI, LLMs, GPTs, or OpenAI rose from under 0.2 percent to over 2.3 percent, a 240 percent jump from May 2025 to May 2026.

The data exposes deep occupational and demographic divides. Executives remain highly optimistic, but 57 percent of software engineers express negative views. Frustration peaks among insurance claims workers, who register up to 98 percent negative sentiment, often complaining about buggy tools. Journalists follow at 81 percent negative, while writers, accountants, and customer service representatives express criticism by a four-to-one ratio. Demographically, Gen Z women are the most skeptical, with only 21 percent positive comments, compared to 42 percent for Gen Z men. Overall, men view AI positively 45 percent of the time, compared to 32 percent for women. Gen X is the most receptive at 47 percent positive, followed by Millennials at 40 percent and Gen Z at 33 percent.

Employee complaints are highly specific. While fear of job loss is the top concern at 20 percent of negative reviews, 14 percent of workers object to being forced to use the technology, and 13 percent view it as a distraction. Another 10 percent find internal AI use alienating due to automated management or surveillance, and 8 percent cite unrealistic productivity expectations. Conversely, 10 percent of critics complain that their employers are adopting AI too slowly. Company size also influences perception, with negative comments rising from 51 percent at firms with fewer than 200 employees to 67 percent at large enterprises with over 10,000 workers.

For AI practitioners, these findings signal a critical implementation gap. While Stanford's AI Index 2026 shows that 73 percent of U.S. experts view AI's job market impact positively, only 23 percent of the public agrees. Positive sentiment relies heavily on support and business success; 44 percent of positive reviews came from workers at companies benefiting from the AI boom, while 41 percent praised employers who provided proper training and tools, and 27 percent were generic. To successfully deploy these tools, organizations must address the practical frustrations of frontline workers.