I’ve always loved AI. But not everyone agrees with me. The widespread adoption of generative artificial intelligence is increasingly being met with resistance, as public sentiment grows more critical and organized against the technology’s perceived overreach. From disappearing social media mascots to real-world protests over environmental damage and job loss, the backlash to AI is no longer confined to online discourse; it’s becoming a movement.

The recent case of Duolingo, the popular language-learning platform, highlights this turning tide. Once a darling of social media marketing, Duolingo found itself at the center of a firestorm after announcing a shift to becoming an “AI-first” company.

The company confirmed it would reduce its reliance on contractors for tasks AI can now perform, sparking outrage among its predominantly young user base. Users took to TikTok and Instagram to express frustration, deleting the app in protest, even at the cost of losing years-long streaks.

Although Duolingo emphasized that AI would not replace staff and that content would remain under human oversight, the response was overwhelmingly negative.

The company’s temporary removal of all social media content only added fuel to the controversy, with its return marked by satire and damage control, moves that failed to quell criticism.

The discontent around Duolingo is just one example of a larger and deepening resistance to AI across American society. According to Pew Research Center data, the proportion of U.S. adults who view AI with more concern than excitement surged from 38% in 2022 to over 50% by the end of 2023, with the number holding steady since then.

What began as curiosity about AI tools like ChatGPT, often used for creative novelties like generating cartoons or poems, has shifted to skepticism as their practical consequences become clearer. Concerns now span several domains:

Workplace automation, where AI threatens to replace human jobs, particularly in creative, administrative, and customer service roles.

Environmental impacts include the proliferation of energy-intensive data centers, which emit greenhouse gases and pollute local communities.

Mental health is a growing concern, with fears about how AI-driven interactions, such as chatbots, could impact personal relationships and social development.

Creative ownership and copyright, with artists and writers pushing back against the use of their work in training datasets without consent.

“The AI boom has moved too fast and broken too much,” says Brian Merchant, author of Blood in the Machine, which explores historical worker revolts against mechanization. He argues that “AI companies have speedrun the Silicon Valley trajectory,” echoing earlier tech cycles of excitement followed by disillusionment.

Online skepticism is morphing into tangible activism. Communities in Memphis, Tennessee, are pushing back against Elon Musk’s xAI project, which is building a massive data center powered by over 30 methane-fueled generators. Locals have raised concerns about air and water pollution, underscoring how the burdens of this technology often fall disproportionately on marginalized groups.

“We’re seeing data centers being located in communities that are poorer and disproportionately Black or brown,” says Alex Hanna of the Distributed AI Research Institute. “It’s not just online backlash anymore — it’s boots on the ground.”

Meanwhile, artists, writers, and performers, many of whom were outspoken during the 2023 Hollywood writers’ strike, continue to rally against AI tools that train on their intellectual property. Lawsuits and calls for regulation are mounting.

Despite high-profile endorsements and corporate promises of productivity gains, many are asking who truly benefits from AI.

“The innovation ecosystem once promised broader access to opportunity,” notes Shannon Vallor, author of The AI Mirror. “Now, it seems to serve those already holding power, often at others’ expense.”

While developers and executives champion AI as a means of enhancing productivity or delivering new experiences, workers across sectors are becoming increasingly wary.

“They know this has been a naked attempt to get rid of people,” Merchant says.

With AI now integrated into everything from customer service bots to autogenerated podcasts and even grocery store branding, public fatigue is becoming visible and vocal. On platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and LinkedIn, users routinely ridicule AI-generated content and question its ubiquity.