Unexpected Coalition: National Service and AI Disruption

Whether AI ultimately destroys jobs or leads to economic prosperity, concerns about its impact cut across partisanship and demographics. Amid that uncertainty, there is a rare bipartisan agreement on how to respond. 

Research conducted by More in Common in partnership with the American Service Project finds that the American public broadly supports national service programs as a response to AI-driven economic disruption for young people. For this poll, national service was defined as programs in which young adults spend a defined period working in voluntary civilian roles such as skilled trades, healthcare, infrastructure, or disaster response. 

Here are four key insights. 

Key Takeaways

1. Trump voters overwhelmingly support national service.

• 84% of Trump voters, including 86% of MAGA Hardliners, support national service when defined as voluntary and primarily civilian in focus. 
• More than 8 in 10 Democrats and Republicans back national service programs under this definition, including roughly 4 in 10 who strongly support them.
• Additionally, 81% of Gen Z Trump voters support national service. 
  

2. Americans want the government to play a more active role in helping young people adapt to AI-driven job loss.

• 54% of Americans want a more active government role in helping young adults adapt to AI-driven job loss.  

• Republicans are 3 times more likely to favor active government intervention than to prefer the government stay out (45% vs. 16%). 

• Within the Trump coalition, Mainline Republicans and the Reluctant Right are more likely to support a more active government role. Anti-Woke Conservatives and MAGA Hardliners are divided between active and more limited government involvement. 

3. Americans are 7 times more likely to support earned financial support and job training through national service than a universal basic income-style solution.

• Preference for national service over direct financial support is bipartisan and consistent across Trump’s coalition: Americans are 7 times more likely to support the earned benefit as opposed to direct financial assistance. 

• Across party lines, most Americans believe that in the face of AI-driven job loss, national service could help prepare young adults for future careers (66%) and allow them to earn income and benefits to support themselves (55%). 

4. Americans, including Trump voters, who are most concerned with AI-driven job loss are most supportive of national service.

• Among those who believe AI will very likely replace jobs in the next 3–5 years, 42% strongly support national service programs. This suggests that as AI-driven job loss persists, support for national service may increase. 

• The same trend holds for Trump voters. Among Trump voters who think AI will very likely replace U.S. jobs, nearly half (48%) strongly support national service. 

• National service has always polled well, but with low-intensity support. This suggests that fears about AI-driven job loss intensify support for national service programs.