Many Romanians are hopeful about AI, but a third express concern about losing their jobs, according to a recent study.
In a recently concluded study by RoCoach and Novel Research, Romanians have shown a nuanced view regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on employment, education, and society. The study, conducted in May-June 2025 using the CAWI method (Computer Assisted Web Interviews), surveyed 800 individuals from urban areas, aged 18 to 64, who are professionally active and internet users.
The findings reveal a society that is largely optimistic about AI, with over three-quarters (76%) viewing it as an opportunity for the economy and society. However, one-third (35.7%) fear significant job losses due to AI-driven automation. Despite these concerns, 64.6% believe the state should actively support professional training in AI, especially within strategic industries, to prevent technological unemployment.
Younger Romanians (18-29 years old) are particularly proactive, with 45% seeing AI as a strategic pillar for Romania's competitiveness. They expect government measures to foster innovation and talent development to keep pace globally.
The study also stresses the need to cultivate more than technical skills; the integration of AI into professional life should be balanced with the development of discernment, adaptability, and human-centered leadership. This reflects a societal desire to ensure AI is smoothly integrated into society while protecting existing jobs and promoting fairness.
Despite optimism, there is widespread distrust toward AI without human supervision. Nearly 70% of Romanians are concerned about how AI accesses and uses their personal data. The majority support human oversight in AI decision-making, with only 20.2% accepting fully autonomous AI assessments. Around 40% would trust AI only when its output is reviewed by humans, and 27.2% reject AI in critical decisions altogether.
Mihai Stănescu, founder of RoCoach, emphasizes the need for coherent policies, grounded leadership, and decisions that reflect public needs for Romania to navigate the AI transition successfully. Marian Marcu, Managing Partner of Novel Research, echoes these sentiments, stating that AI can serve as a catalyst for inclusion or become a driver of exclusion in Romania, depending on the policies and decisions made.
The study findings suggest that Romania needs to address these disparities to ensure that AI serves as a catalyst for inclusion rather than exclusion. Only 11% of Romanians believe AI will generate more jobs than it will eliminate, while over 42% anticipate a balanced outcome: the disappearance of certain jobs offset by the emergence of others in similar proportions.
In summary, Romanians are cautiously optimistic about AI's transformative potential but emphasize the importance of state-supported AI education and professional training, strong data protection, human oversight in AI applications, and cohesive strategies to ensure AI benefits society fairly. This balanced stance points to a readiness for change tempered by concerns over job security, privacy, and ethical governance.
In line with the study, a significant number of Romanians (64.6%) advocate for government support in professional AI training, underscoring the importance of technology and AI integration in career development and education-and-self-development. Moreover, personal growth can be fostered through the cultivation of discernment, adaptability, and human-centered leadership to ensure a balanced approach to AI's impact on society, aligning with the societal desire for AI's smooth integration while promoting fairness and job protection.
