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Australians are increasingly concerned about artificial intelligence (AI), with 65% believing that AI creates more problems than it solves, up 8% points since 2023. One in four Australians believe AI presents a risk of human extinction in the next twenty years, up from 20% in 2023. Women, older Australians, and regional Australians are more sceptical of AI than men, with 69% of women compared to 61% of men believing that overall, AI creates more problems than it solves.
By age, Australians aged 35-49 are the least sceptical, with 62% saying AI creates more problems, while older Australians aged 65+ are the most sceptical at 68%. Australians living in urban areas (63%) are less sceptical than those in regional areas (69%). Across the states, scepticism is strongest in South Australia (73%) and Tasmania (71%), compared with New South Wales (63%) and Victoria (64%). Queensland (66%) and Western Australia (66%) align closely with the national average of 65% who believe AI creates more problems than it solves.
Personal perspectives show slightly more positive views, but scepticism still dominates. Nationally, the share saying AI creates more problems than it solves falls from 65% to 61%, reflecting a modest softening of attitudes. Men show the largest improvement, with scepticism dropping from 61% to 55%, while women fall from 69% to 66%. Concern is highest among 25–34-year-olds (32%), followed by 35–49 (26%), 50–64 (25%), 18–24 (22%), and 65+ (21%).
Australians are increasingly concerned about the potential benefits of AI, particularly in health and science. While AI has shown promise in faster discoveries and earlier disease detection, concerns have been raised about its impact on critical thinking, creativity, accuracy, environmental impact, misinformation, job loss, and economic displacement.
The Roy Morgan Snap SMS Survey revealed that Australians believe that AI solves more problems than it creates, with lost thinking skills, inaccuracy, and environmental harm being the top reasons. Many Australians fear that AI will weaken independent thought, creativity, and learning, especially among young people who may rely on it to think for them. Accuracy and ‘Hallucinations’ are also concerns, as respondents describe AI as unreliable and often incorrect.
Environmental impact is another growing concern, with Australians citing the power, water, and emissions burden of vast data centres. Misinformation and deepfakes are also a concern, with many distrusting AI for blurring truth and fabrication, spreading scams, and making it impossible to tell what’s real online.
In terms of personal concerns, Australians believe that AI creates more problems than it solves, with accuracy issues, job threats, misinformation, dependency, laziness, privacy, and surveillance risks being key concerns. However, work automation, productivity, and information access are considered key benefits by Australians.
In conclusion, while AI has the potential to revolutionize various industries, it is crucial for Australians to carefully consider its potential impacts and ensure that it is used responsibly and responsibly.
Australians are increasingly recognizing the potential of AI, with 65% believing that AI creates more problems than it solves. This sentiment is fueled by the rapid change in the world, with many citing AI’s breakthroughs in medicine and research as proof of its positive impact on humanity. However, Roy Morgan’s Snap SMS Survey shows that a significant number of Australians still feel that AI creates more problems than it solves.
The survey, conducted by Roy Morgan, found that 65% of Australians believe that AI creates more problems than it solves, up 8% points since 2023. Women (69%) are more sceptical than men (61%). The gap between optimism and anxiety highlights a national tension: Australians are eager to harness the power of AI but remain deeply aware that its success depends on trust, transparency, and human oversight.
A surprising one in four Australians now see artificial intelligence as a potential existential risk within twenty years, up 5% points since 2023. This shift highlights growing public awareness that the future of AI is not just a technological question but a moral and societal one.
Roy Morgan, Australia’s largest independent Australian research company, has over 80 years of experience collecting objective, independent information on consumers. The margin of error for any estimate depends mainly on the number of interviews on which it is based. The study also provides demographic breakdowns for Age, Sex, State, Region (Capital Cities/Country), Generations, Lifecycle, Socio-Economic Scale, Work Status, Occupation, Home Ownership, Voting Intention, Roy Morgan Value Segments, Helix Personas, Media Consumption, and more.
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