Perceiving AI as labor-replacing reduces democratic legitimacy and political engagement.

ABSTRACT: AI is expected to reshape society and labor markets, yet experts remain divided on whether AI will primarily displace human labor or generate new employment opportunities. Despite the importance of this debate, little is known about how the public perceives AI's labor market impact-and how these perceptions affect democratic attitudes and behaviors. Large-scale survey data (N = 37,079; 38 European countries) indicate that the public tends to view AI as labor-replacing rather than labor-creating. Controlling for technology-related, political, and sociodemographic factors, these data further show that perceiving AI as labor-replacing (vs. labor-creating) is associated with lower satisfaction with democracy and political engagement with technology. Two preregistered, nationally represe

SUBMITTER: Granulo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12846798 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature