How tech workers actually feel about AI in 2026 | Annual AI sentiment survey (Noam Segal)
About this episode
Noam Segal discusses the findings of the annual Tech Worker Sentiment Survey, revealing insights into how tech workers feel about AI, burnout, and their careers.
Noam Segal is a longtime research leader across Airbnb, Meta, Twitter, Zapier, Intercom, and Figma, a certified coach, AI builder, and my community research lead. Together, we run the annual Tech Worker Sentiment Survey, now in its second year and one of the largest of its kind: a quantitative study of how people in tech actually feel about their jobs, AI, burnout, and the future of their careers. This year’s survey captured responses from thousands of workers across product, engineering, design, research, marketing, data, and sales, and the results are striking. In our in-depth conversation, we discuss: 1. Why AI has split the tech workforce almost exactly in half—one half that’s thriving, another that’s shaken 2. The four emotional archetypes defining tech workers right now (the Energized, the Conflicted, the Disoriented, and the Resentful) 3. Why burnout has jumped an alarming 11 points in a single year 4. Why nobody in tech would recommend their job to someone entering the industry today 5. The #1 fear in tech right now (it’s not job loss to AI) 6. Why managers are the single biggest lever for employee well-being 7. Concrete advice for what employees and leaders can do right…
People in this episode
Host: Lenny Rachitsky
Guest: Noam Segal
Topics covered
- AI sentiment
- tech workforce
- burnout
- career future
- employee well-being
- emotional archetypes
Keywords
- AI
- tech workers
- burnout
- sentiment survey
- emotional archetypes
- career advice
- employee well-being
Sponsors
WorkOS, Mercury
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Airbnb, Meta, Twitter, Zapier, Intercom, Figma
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