Artificial intelligence is now part of daily life for many Canadians, but widespread anxiety over its effects on jobs, privacy, inequality, and energy use is growing, a new survey shows.Data from the Angus Reid Institute finds AI adoption uneven, with age, education, and household income influencing usage. Canadians earning more than $100,000 are far more likely to use AI multiple times per week for personal purposes (39%) than those earning $50K to $99K (27%) or under $50K (24%). Work-related use shows even larger gaps, reflecting both industry demand and technological access.Four-in-five Canadians (78%) say AI will widen the prosperity gap between those comfortable with the technology and those who are not. Only 31% believe AI will make life easier for everyone, while 69% disagree. Concerns over job loss are especially pronounced, with 86% saying AI will lead to net job losses versus just 14% seeing job creation..Misinformation is another major worry: 95% say AI-driven false information will become a serious societal problem. Energy consumption is also a concern, with 78% worried about the power demands of AI systems.Among platforms, ChatGPT dominates, used by 71% of AI users, followed by Google Gemini at 40%, Meta AI at 22%, and Microsoft Copilot at 21%. Canadians report using AI for health and wellness, news, shopping research, meal planning, and travel, with more than one-in-five turning to AI for each of these tasks.Overall perspectives on AI vary widely. Only 11% of Canadians are true AI Optimists, seeing far more benefits than risks. About a third are Cautious Users (32%) or Pessimistic Skeptics (34%), while 23% are Alarmed Critics who perceive nearly all risk and little value in the technology.The survey paints a picture of a population engaged with AI but apprehensive about its consequences, balancing curiosity and convenience with caution and concern.
