The Rise of AI Abstainers: A Growing Concern about the Role of Artificial Intelligence

Strategic Insights -

As the tech industry continues to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into various aspects of life, a growing number of people are expressing concern about the technology's impact on their work, relationships, and personal identities. Some individuals, including high school students, software engineers, and graphic designers, are choosing to abstain from using AI, citing concerns about data privacy, accuracy, and the potential loss of creativity. These AI abstainers are part of a growing community that sees AI as a threat to human agency and skills.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ellen Rugaber, a 16-year-old high school student, prefers not to use AI for schoolwork, citing concerns about bias and inaccuracies.
  • A survey by the Pew Research Center found that 50% of U.S. adults are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in everyday life.
  • Software engineer Michael uses DuckDuckGo as his primary search engine, in part because he can turn off its AI features more easily than with Google.
  • A 40-something government worker in California cited the high stakes of using AI for analysis of federal data, saying that even small errors could damage credibility.
  • Workers in several industries expressed concerns that junior employees who rely heavily on AI may not develop the skills required to do their jobs.
  • Graphic designers and small businesses are placing "not by AI" badges on their works to show they're human-made.
  • A music venue in Oakland announced it would no longer accept artists' fliers for shows if they had been made with AI tools, citing the importance of creativity and human agency.

Statistics:

  • 50% of U.S. adults are more concerned than excited about the increased use of AI in everyday life (Pew Research Center, June 2022).
  • 27 percent of white-collar workers reported frequently using AI at work in 2025 (Gallup survey, 2025).
  • ChatGPT has more than 800 million users each week (OpenAI).

Sources:

  • Pew Research Center, June 2022 survey on public attitudes towards AI.
  • Gallup survey, 2025 on AI use in the workplace.
  • OpenAI, user statistics for ChatGPT.
  • Thee Stork Club, Instagram post announcing policy to avoid AI-generated poster art.