MERIT AMERICA AND HARRISX RELEASE NEW, FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RESEARCH ON LOW-WAGE AMERICANS' ATTITUDES ON AI, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY

New Comprehensive Data Around Artificial Intelligence Specifically from Americans Earning Under $50,000 Annually – a Demographic Likely to be Impacted by Technological Change

Demand for Quality Job Training and Reskilling – Not Future Guaranteed Income or Government Programs – Soars

New Data Shows Affordability Crisis Stopping Americans from Preparing for Artificial Intelligence in the Economy

NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Merit America – a national non-profit that offers fast, flexible training and job search programs for working adults – and HarrisX, a leading U.S.-based public opinion research, data analytics, and strategy consulting company, today released the results of a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind research project that provides comprehensive findings for how low-wage workers view artificial intelligence (AI), higher education, job training, and economic mobility.

The first publicly released research project to focus specifically on low-wage Americans, the HarrisX and Merit America data offers a new, detailed look at how thousands of working Americans across the country are experiencing rapid economic and technological change, their view on the cost-benefit of higher education, and their prospects for economic mobility. The findings show that while opinions on AI vary, many worry it will undermine their job security or force them to change careers. Further, younger workers are also more likely to say the education system isn't preparing people for today's economy, and a majority (62%) also believe the cost of college isn't worth it.

Demand for cutting-edge job training is high, and most low-wage Americans view access to high-quality workforce training programs as an antidote. However, the new research also highlights a link between the affordability crisis – particularly housing costs – and preparation for an AI economy. Record prices and inflation are preventing low-wage Americans from reskilling through participation in workforce training programs. Despite deep concerns about AI and eroding confidence in higher education, 76 percent of low-wage workers said access to job training and reskilling programs would dramatically boost their confidence in their ability to succeed in an AI-powered economy.

A full powerpoint of the results can be found here.

A research memo outlining the results can be found here.

"Across the nation, there is tremendous fear about the impact of artificial intelligence and what it will mean for working Americans, particularly low-wage ones. This data demonstrates it doesn't have to be this way: access to quality training enhances not just confidence that technology can be a force for good, but also improves Americans' personal economic prospects," said Rebecca Taber Staehelin, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Merit America. "America urgently needs to build a rapid reskilling infrastructure that moves as fast as technology disruption. We need a DARPA-like approach to thinking about the future–not a FEMA-like response once economic change has come. There is dramatic demand from the public for scaling up and expanding access to modern, cutting-edge workforce programs, but policymakers just need the vision and the will."

"This new research confirms what we hear every day from the Americans we serve: people want access to high-quality, cutting-edge job training programs. But the affordability crisis is holding them back at the exact time they're being asked to adapt to and prepare for an economy rooted in new technologies. We have a moral imperative as well as an economic obligation to help give Americans access to the training they need – and the situation is urgent," said Connor Diemand-Yauman, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Merit America. "Workers need affordable, efficient, and flexible solutions that fit their lives so they can continue to pay the bills while adding new skills to their professional toolkit."

"This is groundbreaking new research and the first truly in-depth look at how low-wage workers are experiencing both the rise of AI and the mounting affordability crisis," said Dritan Nesho, Founder & CEO of HarrisX. "For the first time, we're hearing directly from workers specifically in this demographic across the nation about what they see as the challenges and opportunities in the AI job market, their views on higher education, and the nexus between inflation and preparation for the future. This data gives policymakers, educators, and employers a clear roadmap for understanding what workers need to navigate a rapidly changing workforce, and develop solutions to meet them where they are."

Notably, the new Merit America-HarrisX data reveal that attitudes toward artificial intelligence are closely correlated to how low-wage workers view other measures of economic mobility and opportunity. Workers who feel positively about AI are significantly more likely to believe hard work leads to a good life and to say the economy is performing well — and the reverse is true for those who feel negatively. However, these attitudes have almost no impact on whether workers expect AI to disrupt their own careers.

Key findings from the HarrisX research on low-wage workers' attitudes towards artificial intelligence, education in America, job training, and the American Dream are below:

Artificial Intelligence

• From low-wage Americans across the nation, views on AI are nearly evenly divided. Forty-eight percent of low-wage workers feel positively or see potential in AI, while 52 percent are unsure or fearful about its impact on their future.
• Yet, job security concerns are widespread. Workers are nearly evenly split on whether AI will take their job: 49 percent say it is likely compared to 51 percent who say it's unlikely. And 70 percent say they would stop the development of job-eliminating AI if they had the power to do so.
• However, workforce training increases confidence. Eighty-six percent would participate in free AI training if it were available, and 76 percent say that access to AI training would make them feel more confident and better prepared to navigate an AI-driven world.

Education in America

• Among low-wage workers with a 4-year degree, 67 percent believe higher education isn't preparing people for today's economy.
• Nearly two-thirds say higher education doesn't offer a good return on investment.
• Workers see job training and reskilling as more effective pathways to mobility — with nearly three-quarters identifying training as the best route to upward mobility compared with traditional higher education.

Job Training

• Interest among low-wage Americans is high. Roughly one-third have participated in a training or certificate program, and another third have considered enrolling.
• Cost remains the primary obstacle to career advancement. Sixty percent of low-wage workers say housing costs alone have prevented them from pursuing job training or education programs. Groceries and personal debt are similarly cited as barriers.
• Workers consistently rank on-the-job training as the most helpful form of upskilling across regions.

Economic Mobility and the American Dream

• Most workers (64 percent) feel the economy has gotten worse, not better. Nearly half (46 percent) expect it to worsen in the coming year.
• Rising costs, especially housing and groceries, are major barriers to their economic stability and mobility.
• Many report delaying major life milestones — like buying a home — or taking on multiple jobs because they cannot achieve the American Dream today.

Insights from Key States and Metro Areas

• Workers in Colorado, Utah, Washington, and Boston are more likely to feel negatively towards AI than in other regions. Desire is highest in Boston (77 percent) to stop the development of AI technology that would take away jobs.
• Workers in New York City (47 percent) and Los Angeles (44 percent) are more likely to see the cost of higher education as worthwhile while workers in Boston (31 percent) are the least likely to see it as worthwhile.
• Interest in pursuing skilled trades or technical jobs is particularly high among low-wage workers in Atlanta (69 percent), and slightly lower in Colorado (52 percent) and Boston (54 percent).

HarrisX surveyed a representative sample of 1,000 low-wage workers in the U.S. from October 28–November 11, 2025. Low-wage workers were defined as adults with a bachelor's degree or less who are employed or actively seeking work and earning under $50,000 per year. The study included oversamples of at least 200 low-wage workers in key states (Colorado, Florida, Texas, Utah, and Washington) and major metro areas (Atlanta, the Bay Area, Boston, Los Angeles, and New York City) weighted down into the base to create a total sample of 3,048 low-wage workers. The survey was administered online, and results were weighted by age, gender, race, and region to match U.S. Census benchmarks. The national sampling margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points, with a larger margin among subgroups.

Merit America and HarrisX partnered on this new research to understand how low-wage workers are thinking about the economy, their financial security and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Merit America is a national nonprofit that helps workers in low-wage jobs transition into family-sustaining careers at scale, offering fast, flexible programs aligned with in-demand roles across the U.S. economy. Its proven model, designed specifically for working adults, combines specialized career training with personalized support. To date, Merit America has generated more than $1 billion in cumulative wage gains for more than 18,000 learners, making economic mobility a reality for workers nationwide.

The full HarrisX research results are available to view here.

About Merit America
Merit America is a national nonprofit preparing workers stuck in low-wage roles for family-sustaining careers at scale. Named by the New York Times as "the hybrid future of training programs for the disadvantaged," Merit America offers fast and flexible training and job search programs that work for working adults, and are aligned to the most in-demand roles in the fastest-growing sectors of the U.S. economy. Founded in 2018, Merit America has served more than 18,000 learners across the country, and has driven more than an estimated $1 billion in cumulative wage gains. For more information, visit https://meritamerica.org/about/.

About Merit America Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Rebecca Taber Staehelin and Connor Diemand-Yauman
Rebecca Taber Staehelin previously served as Chief Performance Officer at the Delaware Department of Education and Education Advisor to Delaware Governor Jack Markell before joining Coursera, the world's largest online education platform. Connor Diemand-Yauman co-founded and led Philanthropy U, the world's largest trainer of working adults in the social sector, and led Coursera's strategy and business line focused on partnerships. Connor is a lecturer at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, and his academic research on improving learning outcomes has been cited in over 250 academic articles.

About HarrisX
HarrisX, a Stagwell company, is a strategic research advisory firm that delivers clear, data-driven answers to our clients' most pressing questions. Powered by proprietary technology and a campaign-style approach, we move fast, cut through the noise, and surface insights that drive real-world impact. With offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, we advise Fortune 100 companies, public institutions, global leaders, NGOs, and philanthropic organizations. Named the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election by The Washington Post and the American Research Group, HarrisX doesn't just deliver data — we deliver confident decisions.

SOURCE HarrisX