Asking About AI: Survey & Focus Group Findings 2026
This spring, the Lilly Endowment invited Theological Horizons to submit a grant proposal to their "Growing in Faith in the Age of AI" initiative. Curious to learn more about the real-life perceptions of this rapidly changing technology, we asked 170 young adults: how are you living alongside artificial intelligence?
Through our survey and in-person focus groups with respondents aged 18-28, we found:
While they use AI, they are unlikely to trust it.
74.2% say AI improves their productivity, yet only 24.2% believe it will positively impact society; 39.8% actively disagree
86.7% are worried about AI's ethical implications
85.2% are concerned about the accuracy of AI-generated information
90.6% believe people should disclose when they use AI
They feel a tension between restorative practices and digital habits.
97.3% feel more mentally refreshed after offline activities
86.3% wish they engaged in offline activities more
76% say they use digital technology more than they'd like to
71.9% feel they rely on digital technology
Among students who use AI for school, 64 of 98 report decreased use of other resources (teachers, textbooks, classmates) they relied on before
In their own words: There is dignity in tech-free human effort.
"My art is very emotionally powered... I wanna use my hands to do what I'm doing, and I don't want a computer to do what I'm doing. That takes the joy out of my work. That takes the character out of my work." — Speaker 2, DC Focus Group
In their own words: AI cannot replace human love
"I definitely, like, tested its limits... it's like a really toxic therapist... It's never going to be, like, you're wrong. It's never going to say, you know, that's a bad idea." — Speaker 4, Charlottesville Focus Group
In their own words: Faith development is a human endeavor
"I've tried asking AI religious questions before, but it just doesn't work because there are so many different denominations and frameworks for analyzing religion or scripture... I would rather turn to a friend who I know has a certain belief." — Speaker 3, DC Focus Group
"Uncertainty builds muscle for your faith... You still gotta make the choice, any day, whether you're gonna go, or you're gonna move... Spiritual advice isn't gonna plug itself into your back and make you walk." — Speaker 2, Richmond Focus Group
In their own words: Our skills and knowledge must be cultivated despite AI’s capacities.
"We've been losing skills in smaller doses... I live in fear of the time when we get to a certain age and can't reverse the progress that's been made, and realize we lost a lot — the capacity to do things that made being human good." — Speaker 6, Charlottesville Focus Group
"It's less about 'is this cheating' and more about 'am I cheating myself.' Because I know I'm not really going to get caught... that gray area is less about whether I think I'll get caught, and more about whether I'm doing myself a disservice by offloading the labor." — Speaker 6, Charlottesville Focus Group
What are young adults asking of Theological Horizons?
Among those interested in wellness/digital-balance programming:
68.1% want social events focused on offline connection;
58.2% want tech-free retreats;
24.2% want AI-literacy workshops.
"Having a time that's just kinda focused on being away from AI or technology would be appealing to me." — Speaker 1, Charlottesville, Focus Group
"I really like the basket that was by the door when we came in, the time with no phones... it has allowed me to not even have the temptation of feeling a vibration in my pocket... just being able to really connect fully in the moment." — Speaker 3, Charlottesville Focus Group
"I don't know how impactful the deeper existential and spiritual questions would be without the habit forming program... I think that guided practices would make the deeper exploration more potent." — Speaker 4, Charlottesville Focus Group
We invite you to pray with us as we await Lilly's decision later this year. Meanwhile, the rich conversations we've had with young adults are already shaping our ministry in real time.