Zombie 529s, CEOs on AI, Gen Z’s Pivot From an Office Job, and Healthcare’s Growing Safety Problem

The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll

Good morning from Los Angeles.

One Interesting Stat: +28. While “American” football still dominates, our Harris Poll sports practice has found a 28%-pt increase in American interest in soccer (45% v. 17%) from 2020, with 70% of fans excited for the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America.

We have four new stories from our polling this week:

1. According to a New York Times-Harris Poll with Credit Karma, 529 savings plans are less popular today as parents question the value of college.
2. Executives globally credit AI with billions in savings, but they want people to be equally involved, as we find with GitLab.
3. Demoralized by AI, Gen Z is increasingly turning away from a traditional career to entrepreneurship and investment.
4. Safety concerns are the new consideration driving healthcare provider exits.

The Walk Away From 529 Savings Plans: Intuit Credit Karma-Harris Poll

Many parents are asking, “Is college still worth it?” Our new research with Intuit Credit Karma in theNew York Times sheds light on the growing doubts:

• For generations, 529 college savings plans have been a default strategy for most parents looking to start a college fund.
• But today, while (65%) of American families are saving for their children’s future using a savings account, fewer than a quarter now are using a 529 plan.
• Declining awareness is a factor: Among those not contributing to, or considering a 529 plan, most say it’s because they’ve never heard of it before.
• Yet, also early closures: Among those who have had a 529, a fifth (19%) have closed their 529 plans early, and another 22% have considered doing so.

Takeaway: Tuition costs keep climbing. Student loan debt continues to weigh on millions. And a degree doesn’t always guarantee a stable job – or any job – after graduation. Market swings have also made it tricky to find the right investment strategies for college. At the same time, many parents are taking on second jobs, borrowing from their 401(k)s or delaying retirement to cover ballooning tuition costs.

The Future Belongs to Teams That Master the Art of Human-AI Collaboration: GitLab-Harris Poll

A new global survey we conducted of C-level executives reveals that AI could drive billions of dollars in annual revenue worldwide — but long-term success hinges on human expertise, governance, and strategic alignment.

• AI-software innovation is a new economic engine: Executives globally report saving an average of $28K per developer annually from AI investments – or $750 billionin potential global value.
• Over half (58%) of C-suite execs report their organization experienced business growthtied specifically to software innovation efforts in the last year, estimating a 44% increase in revenue.
• Ready to invest: Nearly (80%) of enterprise leaders say they’re willing to invest over half of their company’s IT budget in software development.
• However, AI has to rely on people: Nearly three-quarters (73%) believe human input for human-AI partnership should be at least 50/50, rather than believing AI should do the majority of the work (27%).

Takeaway: “AI-fueled software innovation is an undeniable source of competitive advantage and economic impact, with 91% of executives saying that it’s now a core business priority,” said Bill Staples, chief executive officer at GitLab. “Organizations that optimize this human-AI partnership today will define the future of software tomorrow.”

Gen Z Pivots From a 9-5 Job: MarketWatch-Harris Poll

Derailed and demoralized by AI’s encroachment into their entry-level jobs, many Gen Zers are abandoning plans for a traditional career, according to our researchwith MarketWatch.

• Typical jobs aren’t mathing for Gen Z: Three in five Gen Z (60%) say that working a full-time job won’t allow them to reach their financial goals, nearly twice that of Boomers (35%). Instead, Gen Z is looking to side hustles, entrepreneurship, and investing to achieve their goals.
• And yet they still aim to reach financial independence (having financial resources to meet needs/pursue goals without relying on employment income) by age 32!
• Social media as a financial advisor: While (36%) of Americans would get financial advice from social media over traditional financial advisers, for Gen Z, that number jumps to (62%).

Takeaway: This generational shift may be indicative of the changes in the U.S. economy over the past few decades. When Boomers entered the workforce in the mid-1960s, a single blue-collar salary was often sufficient to buy a home and support a family. For Gen Z, college (as the above story shows) doesn’t guarantee a good job. Other Harris polls show Gen Z abandoning home ownership as part of their American Dream. Which begs the question, who will Boomers sell their houses to?

Healthcare Workers Call Out Workplace Safety: Verkada-Harris Poll

Against the backdrop of an already challenging environment that has pushed 138,000 nurses out of the workforce since 2022, our work with Verkada reveals that inadequate protection from danger and harassment puts the workforce at even greater risk.

• Nearly two in five healthcare workers in the U.S. say they have considered leaving their positions due to safety concerns, with almost half (45%) likely to leave their job in the next 12 months (nurses: 50%, physicians: 39%).
• Nearly 3 million healthcare professionals begin each shift anticipating conflict: A fifth (21%) of healthcare workers worry about verbal harassment from patients most or every time they go to work.
• Despite 79% of healthcare workers experiencing or witnessing aggressive patient behavior, employers lag on basic security, with 41% saying their workplace has minimal security.
• Safety concerns even impact future talent: Over half of respondents (52%) also believe that safety concerns are actively deterring people from entering the profession.

Takeaway: “Healthcare workers dedicate their lives to caring for others, yet our research reveals that we’re not doing enough to protect them,” said Public Affairs exec Alana O’Grady at Verkada. “While the data shows the clear and urgent need for healthcare organizations to invest in security infrastructure, this is ultimately not just a safety issue…workplace violence drives upwards of $18 billion in costs annually and even greater costs if labor shortages worsen.”