A new survey reveals a striking divide in how different income groups perceive the impact of generative AI on their future prospects, with lower-income individuals expressing significantly more concern about being left behind by the technology revolution.
According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer Flash Poll on Trust and Artificial Intelligence, 54% of low-income respondents across five major economies believe “people like me will be left behind rather than realize any real advantages from generative AI.” This compares to 44% of middle-income respondents and just 31% of high-income individuals who share this pessimistic outlook.
The survey, which polled over 5,000 people across China, the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil, and Germany, reveals a consistent pattern: the higher one’s income, the less likely they are to fear exclusion from AI’s benefits. The 23-percentage-point gap between low and high-income respondents underscores growing concerns about whether AI will exacerbate existing economic inequalities or create new opportunities for upward mobility.
The income divide manifests differently across countries. The United Kingdom shows the starkest contrast, with 71% of low-income Britons fearing they’ll be left behind, compared to 38% of high-income respondents. The United States follows a similar pattern, with 65% of low-income Americans expressing concern versus 47% of their wealthier counterparts. Germany also demonstrates a significant gap, with 59% of low-income respondents worried compared to 40% of high earners.
Interestingly, developing economies showed somewhat different patterns. In China, 36% of low-income respondents expressed concern about being left behind, compared to 21% of high-income individuals. Brazil showed the smallest absolute gap, though the trend remained consistent with 33% of low-income Brazilians worried versus 22% of high-income respondents.
The findings suggest that high-income individuals in developed countries may feel particularly insulated from AI’s disruptive potential, while low-income populations across all surveyed nations harbor significant doubts about their ability to benefit from the technology. This perception gap could have profound implications for how AI policies are shaped and whether interventions are designed to ensure broad-based access to AI’s advantages.
The data emerges at a critical moment as policymakers, business leaders, and technologists grapple with questions about AI’s societal impact. If lower-income populations believe they’re being excluded from AI’s benefits, it could fuel resistance to AI adoption, widen existing trust gaps in technology, and create political pressure for more interventionist approaches to AI governance.
As generative AI continues its rapid integration into workplaces, education systems, and daily life, these findings raise urgent questions about whether the technology will serve as an equalizer or amplify existing economic divides. The challenge for industry and government leaders will be demonstrating that AI’s benefits can extend beyond those already positioned to capture them.