By Scott Schieman
Publication Date: 2025-11-17 17:55:00
Since 2023, there has been a steady increase in media reports about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) automation to replace workers. As sociologists who study what people think and feel about work, we wondered whether these narratives resonate with workers.
Understanding workers’ attitudes toward automation is a critical part of examining the broader impact of AI on work and society. If large parts of the workforce feel threatened or abandoned by AI, we risk not only economic disruption, but also a loss of trust in institutions and technological progress.
To explore these attitudes, we conducted a nationally representative survey of 2,519 working Canadians from September 8 to 18, with support from the Angus Reid Forum. The aim of the survey was to determine the public’s attitudes and perceptions regarding the risk of AI-related job losses.
We found that Canadians’ reactions were far from uniform, reflecting a mix of concern, skepticism and cautious optimism.
