Research from the Global Undergraduate Awards, published alongside the announcement of its 2026 global winners, found that 55% of undergraduates identified AI as a concern, up from 48% in 2025.
That put AI in second place among the issues surveyed, up from fifth place a year earlier. It was the only issue among the top five to record an increase.
The research suggested that concern about AI was closely linked to the future jobs market, as students considered what the technology could mean for their employment prospects after graduation.
Jim Barry, chair of the Global Undergraduate Awards, said the findings showed that AI was becoming a significant issue for undergraduates as they looked towards their careers.
“The central focus is the jobs market post-graduation and what sort of impact AI is going to have on career prospects for many,” Barry said. “There is a palpable concern about the prospect of jobs destruction.”
The change in the rankings was particularly notable against a backdrop in which the other leading concerns had generally declined.
Social and economic inequality remained the biggest concern, although the proportion identifying it fell slightly from about 64% in 2025 to 62% in 2026.
Climate change fell from second to third, with 46% of students identifying it as a concern, compared with 56% the previous year.
Environmental issues and mental health also remained in the top five. Environmental concerns were identified by 44% of respondents in 2026, down from about 51% in 2025, while mental health fell to about 42%, from about 52%.
Barry said the fall in the relative ranking of climate change was concerning, given the continued visibility and significance of its impacts.
The survey found that students were also concerned about geopolitical issues, migration, political polarisation, access to appropriate employment and global health threats.
The findings suggested that AI was no longer viewed by undergraduates as a distant or theoretical technology. It had become part of how students studied and researched, while also raising questions about what the changing technology landscape would mean for their careers.
The survey was conducted from 8-15 June 2026 among undergraduates.
Patryk Goron
Ltd
