Morgan Stanley's most recent U.S. Consumer Pulse Survey, which collected responses from roughly 2,000 consumers between March 19 and March 23, shows that data privacy and employment stability continue to top the list of worker concerns as artificial intelligence becomes more ubiquitous in routine tasks.
The poll indicates that data privacy is the single most-mentioned worry, cited by 38% of employees across job functions. Nearly as many respondents - 37% - flagged concern about the accuracy of AI-generated outputs. That latter worry is notably higher among white-collar workers, where 46% reported unease about the correctness of AI outputs.
Job security is also prominent, with 30% of those surveyed identifying it as a concern. At the same time, about one-quarter of workers said they have no concerns related to AI; the share is slightly higher among blue-collar workers, at 27%.
Adoption of AI for work tasks is rising. Some 31% of employed respondents reported using AI for job-related functions, up from 28% earlier in the year. Usage is concentrated in white-collar roles, where 42% of workers say they use AI at work, compared with 24% among blue-collar workers.
The survey finds that research and information gathering are the most common AI use cases overall. In addition, white-collar workers more frequently report using AI for writing, editing and data analysis.
Alongside technology-related concerns, the poll highlights increased macroeconomic anxiety. Worry about inflation rose to 57% of respondents. Geopolitical concerns also climbed, reaching 33% from 22% reported the previous month.
On household finances, Morgan Stanley reports that as tax refunds arrive, about half of consumers plan to save at least part of the refund. Roughly one-third intend to use refunds to pay down debt, while approximately 30% expect to spend some of the money on everyday purchases.
Methodology note: The findings above are taken from Morgan Stanley's U.S. Consumer Pulse Survey fielded March 19-23 with roughly 2,000 consumer responses.