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Denial, Bargaining, Anger: Where Our Relationship With AI Goes Next

Unite.AI
Read full story· 8 min
Since ChatGPT's launch nearly four years ago, public sentiment toward AI has mirrored the five stages of grief, evolving from curiosity and denial to bargaining and now anger. This shift is driven by AI's ubiquity, personal stakes in education and jobs, and widespread exposure to machine-generated content. Regulatory scrutiny, especially concerning young users, and educators' concerns about AI's impact on student learning reflect growing societal tensions.

What happened

Nearly four years after ChatGPT became publicly available, public attitudes toward AI have shifted from initial curiosity and skepticism to widespread concern and anger. This change is linked to AI's increasing presence in daily life, including workplaces, schools, and online content. Regulators have begun investigating the impact of AI on young users, and educators are reporting challenges related to student learning and reliance on AI tools. Workers and creative professionals are expressing anxiety about job security as AI becomes more integrated into their industries.

Key details

  • A Pew survey found 52% of U.S. workers are worried about AI's impact on jobs, and 32% expect fewer opportunities for themselves.
  • The Federal Trade Commission launched an inquiry in September 2025 into how AI chatbots interact with children and teens.
  • Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported 1,206,374 announced job cuts in 2025, a 58% increase from the previous year.
  • An MIT Media Lab preprint found participants using AI to write essays had weaker neural engagement and poorer recall, though the study was small and not peer-reviewed.
  • McDonald's Netherlands withdrew an AI-generated holiday ad after negative public reaction.

Why it matters

Students, workers, and companies now face concrete decisions about how to use or limit AI in their environments. Schools are implementing new policies and practices to address the effects of AI on learning, and brands are reconsidering the use of AI-generated content in response to public backlash. Regulatory actions targeting AI use by minors could lead to new compliance requirements for technology companies and stricter oversight of AI products aimed at young people.

#ai-in-education#chatgpt#federal-trade-commission#mit

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