By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

SOCIAL MEDIA IS TODAY’S TOP NEWS SOURCE

Americans are leaning away from traditional news outlets in favor of new and social media, according to our latest Harris Poll research.

• 66% of Americans stay up to date on the news – up 6 points from 2023.
• The most trusted news sources today are friends and family (86%), local TV (72%) and local newspapers/websites (70%).
• Least trusted are social media influencers (32%), social media stories (35%) and national politicians (41%).
• Sources viewed are the most biased are social media influencers (84%), social media stories (82%) and national politicians (82%).
• Despite perceptions of bias, 66% turn to social media for news (86% Gen Z, 84% Millennials, 66% Gen X and 36% Boomers).
• Top social media platforms for news: YouTube (62%), Facebook (55%, down 5 points from 2023), Instagram (45%), podcasts (40%), TikTok (38%), AI agents (36%), X (34%), Reddit (30%, up 4 points from 2023) and Twitch (17%).
• 64% of Americans are turning to independent and new outlets for news over mainstream news media.
• 81% trust non-mainstream news outlets more or the same as traditional media.

SIDE HUSTLES DURING SHUTDOWN

Americans are feeling anxious about their finances due to the government shutdown, and half say they’re ready to start a side hustle, based on our HarrisX research with GoDaddy.

• 61% of American adults and 76% of federal government employees are concerned about the impact the government shutdown will have on their personal finances.
• 56% of federal employees and 34% of adults say the government shutdown already has made them less confident about the stability of their income.
• 71% are concerned about the potential impact on small businesses, and 64% are concerned about the potential impact on consumer spending.
• 63% of federal employees and 41% of Americans report reducing spending in response to the shutdown.
• 44% of government employees and 29% of all consumers say they are delaying major purchases.
• 39% of federal employees say they are already dipping into savings to cover expenses because of the government shutdown.
• 70% of Americans and 67% of federal employees say they need to find new ways to generate income.
• 50% of Americans and 41% of federal employees will likely start a business or side hustle if their income is disrupted by the shutdown.

SOCIAL MEDIA MODERATION

New York state recently passed a law mandating social media platforms to report if and how they manage hate speech. Yet consumers are split on their feelings about social media moderation, according to our research from Stagwell’s National Research Group.

• 39% want the government to be less involved in how social media platforms moderate content (25% say more involved).
• 31% say the government is too strict in its approach to control social media, 36% say “it’s about right,” and 32% say it’s too lenient.
• 44% want social media companies to use independent fact checkers to moderate content.
• 12% want no moderation at all.

WOMENS’ SILENT GRIEF

Our Harris Poll research continues to highlight the knowledge disparity and lack of resources for women during pregnancy.

• 78% of women underestimate the prevalence of miscarriages.
• 14% say their pregnancy/birth experience would have been improved if they had received support following a miscarriage or stillbirth.
• 76% believe employers should offer the same amount of paid leave to parents who suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth as they do for those on maternity or paternity leave (higher for Black women at 84% and Hispanic women at 80%).

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

ECONOMIC PESSIMISM LINGERS

Economic worries continue to consume Americans, according to our September Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll.

• 51% say the country is on the wrong track – up 1 point from August.
• 53% say the U.S. economy is on the wrong track – level with August.
• 43% say their personal financial situation is getting worse – up 1 point from August.
• Inflation (32%) and the economy and jobs (29%) remain the top issues.
• See also: Tariffs, Taxes and Tight Margins: How the Middle Market Is Bracing for 2026

WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION TO SHUTDOWN

Most Americans oppose the government shutdown, and they are blaming both sides, according to our Harvard CAPS/Harris poll.

• 70% oppose the shutdown.
• 53% blame Republicans for the shutdown, and 47% blame Democrats.
• 65% say Democrats should accept a continuing resolution at current spending levels, while 35% say they should hold out for additional funding for ObamaCare.
• With the shutdown, Americans are growing more negative: Congress today has a 32% approval rating, compared with 37% last month.

TRIGGERED IN THE GROCERY AISLE

Americans say it’s harder to afford their groceries now than it was a year ago, based on our latest Harris Poll with Axios.

• 47% say it’s harder to afford groceries today.
• Fewer than 1 in 3 say tariffs have been good for the U.S. economy, U.S. businesses or personal finances.
• 63% worry about shortages of key goods they rely on due to tariffs.
• 65% say they’re financially squeezed each month.

RECORD-BREAKING 2026 ELECTION

The number of high stakes races and redistricting will lead to increase political spending next year, according to Assembly’s 2026 Election Outlook report.

• The nation will see 33 Senate races, 36 governor races, 435 House races and more than 6,000 state and local races in 2026.
• Political advertising spend is projected to surpass $10 billion.
• Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina will see the highest spend and the most intense political landscapes.
• Local broadcast television will remain the majority of political ad spending.

FUTURE OF HEALTH TECH

Americans are embracing health tech, yet they want better resources and more control, according to our Harris Poll survey with Verily.

• 72% of Americans are actively seeking information about healthy nutrition and lifestyle options.
• 60% like to stay up to date and seek out new digital health tools and resources.
• 82% wish they could access all their health information in one place.
• 64% find aspects of their current health apps frustrating.
• They want an app that helps them better understand their health over time (76%) and offers personalized recommendations from healthcare professionals (75%).

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

ELECTRIC VEHICLES NEED A RECHARGE

Public charging stations will make or break the future of electric vehicles, based on new Harris Poll data with Urban Science.

• Two thirds of auto buyers considering an EV (63% in the U.S., 68% in Germany and 64% in the UK) say their main charging reliability concern is that there are not enough charging stations.
• 4 in 10 buyers (39% in the U.S. and UK, and 42% in Germany) worry about long lines.
• 43% of U.S., 38% of German and 40% of UK buyers report concerns about hard-to-reach charging stations.
• Only 20% of U.S. auto buyers believe the current infrastructure will meet demand during the next three years.
• In the U.S., 23% of auto buyers say they are most likely to buy some type of battery vehicle engine that would require charging in the next year.
• 63% say their decision to purchase an EV has not changed in light of the Trump administration.
• See also: As European EV Sales Soar, Automakers Must Prioritize Service

MATERNAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS

Women – especially Black, Hispanic and younger women – are not receiving adequate care during pregnancy and postpartum, according to the Harris Poll’s third annual State of Maternal Health Report.

• 72% of women agree the healthcare system is designed more for the convenience of the healthcare provider than the patient giving birth.
• 40% feel like they are just another number at the OBGYN or midwife’s office.
• 62% say they must fight to get the medical care they need – up from 53% last year. This is highest for Black (73%), Hispanic (71%) and younger women (73%).
• Women are not receiving any education on integral parts of the pregnancy, including less invasive pain management (53%), counting kicks (45%) or labor stages (34%).

HEALTHCARE WORKERS DON’T FEEL SAFE

Poor behavior coupled with insufficient security measures are causing healthcare, according to our Harris Poll research with Verkada.

• Healthcare workers account for 73% of nonfatal workplace injuries and violence.
• 79% have experienced or witnessed aggressive behavior from patients.
• 21% worry about verbal harassment from patients most or every time they go work.
• Nurses are more than twice as likely (60%) to be physically assaulted on the job compared to physicians (29%).
• 2 in 5 have considered leaving their job due to safety concerns.
• 52% believe safety concerns are deterring people from entering the profession.

LEGAL SHAKE-UP

Global in-house legal departments are rapidly transforming from traditional risk-management cost centers to strategic value creators, according to our Harris Poll research with Axiom.

• 49% of legal departments changed budget models in the past year.
• 29% of legal departments say they’ve adopted value-based budgeting models.
• 32% conduct comprehensive annual ROI evaluations.
• 78% are expected to implement AI without dedicated funding.

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

JOB SEEKERS STRUGGLE

Current job seekers can expect the hunt to become even more difficult in the next six months, according to our Harris Poll report with Express Employment Professionals.

• 78% believe employers have the upper hand in today’s job market.
• 44% of job seekers are actively looking for a new job – up from 41% last year.
• 59% believe it will be harder to find a job in the next six months – up 9 points from last year.
• 48% believe there are fewer job opportunities than a year ago.
• 25% expect it will take more than six months to find a job.
• The top challenges are finding job opportunities that match their qualifications (52%), landing a job quickly enough to cover basic expenses (46%) and standing out in an increasingly competitive market (44%).
• 83% are willing to accept a different role than initially planned to combat these challenges.
• Motivations for job seekers include better pay (42%), improved work-life balance (39%) and career advancement (31%).

FINDING JOBS ESPECIALLY HARD FOR NEW GRADS

Recent college graduates are having an especially hard time finding entry-level jobs – even competing with AI – according to our Harris Poll research.

• 58% of recent graduates are still searching for full-time employment.
• 65% of Gen Z report FOBO – the fear of being obsolete.
• 45% report AI made their college degree irrelevant.
• As a result, 51% view their college degrees as “a waste of money.”
• 41% of Gen Z say financial stability is their top priority, over enjoyable work (32%).
• 80% of hiring managers say they anticipate a recession, prompting 83% to cut costs through process streamlining, cross-training, hiring freezes and layoffs.

PUTTING THE ‘MARKETING’ IN CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

CMOs have a crucial role to drive business results, yet they face budget constraints and limited control, according to our GALE CMO report with Forbes.

• 67% say CMOs must become business architects, not just brand stewards.
• Only 19% consider their organizations “extremely effective” at demonstrating marketing impact.
• 39% report that their budgets are fully aligned with and supportive of their strategic vision.
• 48% cite limited control over budget allocation as a barrier to meeting strategic goals.
• CEOs (69%) and CFOs (65%) remain the key decision makers in marketing spend.
• 57% report flat year-over-year budgets.
• 70% agree agency partners need to understand their business more holistically to be effective.

BURNOUT FROM BUSYWORK

Data analysts are relying on unsanctioned AI usage in the workplace to combat burnout, according to our Harris Poll research with dtb labs.

• Organizations lose $21,613 per year in wasted analyst productivity.
• 78% of analysts’ time is consumed by busywork.
• 54% admit to using AI tools to analyze company data outside of approved systems.
• 90% are eager to incorporate more AI tools into their workflows.
• 72% report their organization isn’t investing enough in AI-powered platforms.
• 32% have created workarounds to bypass governance processes entirely.

SPORTS FANS LIKE BILLBOARDS

Out-of-home advertising is a powerful tool to engage sports fans, according to our Harris Poll research with the Out of Home Advertising Association.

• 60% of adults recall seeing an OOH ad for a major sporting event.
• 90% took real-world action.
• 61% engaged on social media.
• 62% want ads connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

FUTURE OF NEWS APAC: Join us for the first Future of News APAC Summit next Thursday, Oct. 2. Moderated by Stagwell Vice Chair and Allison Worldwide Executive Chair Ray Day, the event will feature panel discussions and the release of new brand safety research. If you, your teams or clients are interested in attending, please register using this link.

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

TOO MUCH CHANGE IN THE WORKPLACE

AI, technology and unrelenting disruption are putting businesses and their employees at a tipping point, based on new Harris Poll research with The Grossman Group.

• Most employees can absorb one or two major changes a year.
• More than 50% of business leaders expect to implement three or more major changes in the next two years.
• 1 in 4 change efforts fail – at the cost of burnout, dissatisfaction, workload spikes and turnover.
• Organizations are three times more likely to succeed in major change when employees are fully bought in.
• Organizations are 5.5 times more likely to fail without visible leadership and without effective communication.
• 1 in 4 employees say their leaders do not communicate change well.
• Culture change and layoffs are the most difficult.

HEALTHCARE BURNOUT

In a post-COVID era, healthcare workers are feeling left behind, under-educated and underappreciated, according to our Harris Poll research with Strategic Education, Inc.

• 84% of healthcare workers feel they are taken for granted.
• 55% will look for job openings, interview for or switch to a new role in the next year.
• Top reasons for looking for a new role include inadequate compensation and benefits (49%), burnout or emotional fatigue (48%) and lack of career advancement, personal development or education opportunities (48%).
• Only 1 in 5 feel their current employer is invested in their long-term career success beyond their current role.
• 3 in 4 are interested in continuing their education, and 80% believe employers should be investing in their education.
• 63% say they would be more likely to stay with their employer if tuition support were provided.
• While 9 in 10 employers agree they have a responsibility to help employees advance in their careers, only 47% use tuition assistance and education benefits as a retention strategy.

GAME ON WITH AI

Generative AI is widely adopted in the gaming development industry, yet it does not come without changing consumer expectations and developer concerns, according to our Harris Poll research with Google Cloud.

• 97% of game developers say generative AI is transforming the industry.
• 94% say it’s driving innovation.
• The most promising trends are AI-driven game engines (40%), AI for balancing gameplay (40%) and AI-powered testing and quality assurance (36%).
• 89% say AI integration is changing player expectations, and 37% think players are looking for more lifelike experiences.
• 63% worry about data ownership and IP rights.
• See also: Most Employees Don’t Know How To Adopt AI

FUTURE OF NEWS IN CANADA

Canadian news readers are a powerful, high-impact audience, according to our latest News Advertising Study by Stagwell’s HarrisX.

• 71% of Canadians follow the news closely.
• 22% are “News Junkies,” an audience that checks the news five times a day and reads an average of 8.8 articles.
• Canadians are more likely to follow news (22%) than sports (21%) or entertainment (14%).
• Among high earners, the average purchase intent for brands with ads were next to news articles on global politics was 65%, compared to 69% for business and 64% for entertainment.

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

GEN Z NEEDS A MENTOR

Amid job uncertainty and lack of confidence navigating the market, Gen Z needs a mentor, according to our Harris Poll report with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

• 82% of managers say Gen Z lacks the necessary skills in the workplace.
• 41% of Gen Z feel highly confident navigating today’s job market.
• 74% lack access to mentorship.
• Mentorship benefits: opening doors to possibilities they never would have seen on their own (84%), bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world success (83%), feeling more confident about decision making (81%) and having conversations with an adult outside of their family (65%).

VISUALS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS

Visual communication is a critical tool to drive business results, according to our Harris Poll research with Canva.

• 91% believe visuals communicate better than text.
• 88% of leaders say visual fluency is a must-have skill for leadership positions.
• Only 22% of organizations consider themselves design-led, and 32% say they are visually forward.
• 63% of leaders say encouraging experimentation with AI would improve visual fluency across their organization.

CURIOUS BUT CAUTIOUS ABOUT AI

Americans are intrigued by AI yet not fully convinced, based on our latest Harris Poll Quest data.

• Adoption is growing: 8% use AI several times a day, 15% daily and 22% weekly.
• Trust gap: 40% distrust AI for personal advice, and only 14% say they would “definitely” use AI to help manage money.
• Workplace gains: 42% say AI helps them be more productive, especially for research (40%) and writing tasks (28%).
• Consumers are using AI for price comparisons (39%) and product search (39%).

THE RISE OF FINTECH

Americans who are watching their money more closely increasingly are leaning on fintech apps and tools, according to the 2025 U.S. Fintech Effect Report by the Harris Poll and Plaid.

• 81% of consumers are actively looking for financial education.
• 61% say economic worries make them more reliant on digital financial tools.
• 77% insist their bank be able to connect to their apps of choice.
• 66% would consider switch banks if connectivity weren’t possible.

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

INFLATION OVERSHADOWS ECONOMIC PROGRESS

While more Americans say their financial situation is improving, inflation concerns remain high, based on our August HarvardCAPS / Harris Poll.

• 40% say the country is on the right track – same as July.
• 38% say the U.S. economy is on the right track – same as July.
• 35% say their personal financial situation is improving (up 3 points from July).
• Inflation (34%) and the economy (31%) are the top two issues, while immigration dropped to 26% (down 3 points from July).
• 48% say inflation is the most important issue to them personally – up from 45% in July and 39% in June.
• 14 of 15 Trump policies receive support from the majority of Americans – with the most popular policies being lowering prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients and low-income patients (86%), deporting illegal immigrants who have committed crimes (75%) and eliminating fraud and waste in government expenditures (73%).
• Not popular: Making cost cuts to Medicaid programs by adding work requirements for those up to 64-years-old (56% of the country opposes this policy).
• 59% say President Trump will not solve the Ukraine war, and 64% say he will not solve the Israel-Hamas war.

HIRING FRUSTRATION GROWS

High-salary job seekers and employers are struggling with a lengthy and unsuccessful hiring processes, according to our Harris Poll survey with Indeed.

• 64% of high-salary job seekers say it’s difficult to get hired.
• 44% of employers say it’s hard to hire high-salary employees.
• 42% of employers and 57% of job seekers agree the hiring process is taking longer.
• 56% of employers claim there are too many candidates (51% of job seekers say the same).
• 39% of employers are seeing more candidates per job opening than last year.
• 44% of job seekers point to fewer job openings as a result of the economy (74%) and layoffs and restructuring (45%).
• 55% of employers think candidates would be willing to accept a lower salary. Yet only 37% of job seekers agree.

MORE TREES, PLEASE

While a large majority of Americans appreciate the impact of tress and green spaces on their mental health, less than a fifth are planting trees, according to our Harris Poll report with the Arbor Day Foundation.

• 87% of Americans say trees and green spaces have a noticeable, positive impact on their mental wellbeing.
• 95% see the value of trees in their communities for their ability to clean air, provide shade and provide privacy.
• 84% say spending time in nature brings them hope and optimism about the future.
• Yet only 19% have planted a tree in the last year.

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

U.S. LEADERSHIP CRISIS

A major lack of trust and value alignment exists between Americans and public leaders, according to our Harris Poll research with U.S. News.

• 77% say they don’t see any public leaders they admire or would want to emulate.
• Disappointment in leaders varies by sector: 73% for health care, 72% for business and 68% for education.
• 85% say government officials and other community leaders care more about their own power and influence than what’s best for the people they represent.
• More than half (56%) associate political figures with leadership, but only 31% consider them trustworthy.
• 82% say the values held by business leaders don’t align with those of everyday Americans.
• 80% say the current public service leaders aren’t prepared to adequately respond to the new crises of today.

GEN Z WANTS TO BE RICH QUICKLY

High cost of living and student loan debts mean Gen Z wants to gain financial independence as early as age 32 and will be creative to reach their financial goals, according to our Harris Poll research with dub.

• 94% of Gen Z want to hit financial independence before 55.
• 60% believe a traditional job won’t help them reach their financial goals.
• 62% of Gen Z use social media over traditional advisors for financial advice (36% of all Americans).
• See also: Are You Making These Retirement Mistakes? How a HENRY Can Prepare

AI FOR FINANCIAL ADVICE?

While Americans trust humans more than AI for financial advice, many are in favor of the two working together, according to our Harris Poll research with Northwestern-Mutual.

• Americans trust humans more than AI for all financial scenarios, including creating a retirement plan (56%), asking a financial question (55%) and managing an investment portfolio (53%).
• 47% would prefer to work with a financial advisor who understands and uses AI (54% for Gen Z and Millennials).

DISRUPTOR MEDIA SHOWCASE: Join Stagwell, SKDK and Targeted Victory on Sept. 16 in D.C. for the inaugural Disruptor Media Showcase – a session for advertisers and industry leaders offering an early look at how publishers are engaging audiences in today’s fast-evolving media landscape. RSVP and see participating publishers here.

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

FRUGAL HOLIDAY SHOPPING

Holiday shopping will increase at a slower rate than previous years and will be defined by intentional spending, according to Assembly’s 2025 holiday preview.

• Holiday sales will rise 1.2%, below the full-year growth rate of 1.4%.
• 51% of consumers say tariffs will have an impact on their holiday shopping.
• Electronics (50%) and toys (42%) have the perception of being most affected by tariffs due to global sourcing and price sensitivity.
• 87% say they plan to start shopping earlier or at the same time as last year.
• Women are 25% more likely to already know what they want to buy than men.
• Early shoppers want to spread out spending and manage their budget (47%) and take advantage of early deals (46%).
• Consumers are buying fewer gifts for several reasons: 77% will try to find more practical options, 71% want to give more meaningful gifts, and 33% are opting for handmade items.
• Younger consumers ages (ages 25-34) are opting for connection over consumption: 53% prefer giving experiences over physical items, and 57% prefer giving gifts that create shared experiences.

GEN Z NOT EXCITED ABOUT SKILLED TRADES

While skilled trades offer a respected career path, they are thought of less highly by younger generations, according to our Harris Poll report.

• 91% of Americans say trade jobs are just as important to society as white-collar jobs.
• 90% say most people don’t realize how well-paying skilled trades can be.
• 86% say skilled trade careers are overlooked in schools today.
• Younger generations don’t think as highly of skilled trades: 36% of Gen Z strongly agree skilled trades offer a more affordable path to a good career.
• 38% of Gen Z say skilled trades offer the best job opportunities (compared with 40% of Millennials, 45% of Gen X and 59% of Boomers).
• See also: Parents Want More Than ABCs from Early Education

POWER OF TV ADVERTISING ON PRESCRIPTION MEDS

Second to doctors, TV ads are the most popular way consumers learn about new medications, according to our Harris Poll research with Cadent.

• 62% of consumers use TV ads as a primary source for learning about new prescription and over-the-counter drugs (compared with 68% for doctors).
• 70% said they would ask their doctor about a prescription med after seeing an ad for it.
• 75% said that receiving educational info about health conditions from a pharma company is “valuable.”
• 69% said they trust the educational info they receive from pharma companies.
• At the same time, 57% said they find it annoying when they visit a health website and then receive ads for a related medication.

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By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

GEN Z IS NOT WORKING 9 TO 5

The younger generation is relying on investing and social media to reach their financial goals instead of traditional full-time jobs, according to our Harris Poll research with MarketWatch.

• 51% of Gen Z think a 9-to-5 isn’t essential for achieving financial success.
• 60% say that working a full-time job won’t allow them to reach their financial goals (compared with 35% of Boomers).
• Instead, Gen Z is relying on side hustles, entrepreneurship and investing to achieve their goals.
• 62% of Gen Z say they receive financial advice from social media (compared with 36% of all Americans).
• 65% believe investing is their best shot at becoming a millionaire.
• See also: Why Gen Zs Trust TikTok Influencers Over Teachers

COLLEGE SAVING PLANS HAVE A REPUTATION PROBLEM

Parents are asking if “college is still worth it?,” based on our Harris Poll research with Intuit Credit Karma.

• For most generations, 529 college savings plans have been a default strategy for most parents looking to start a college fund.
• Today 65% of American families say they are saving for their children’s future.
• Yet fewer than a quarter now are using a 529 plan.
• Among those not contributing to or considering a 529 plan, most say it’s because they’ve never heard of it before.
• Among those who have or had a 529, 19% have closed their plans early, and another 22% have considered doing so.
• See also: What do Americans think about the skilled trades?

DEALERS VERSUS CONSUMERS IN CAR BUYING

Today’s automotive landscape highlights a significant gap between auto dealers and buyers, according to our Harris Poll study with Urban Science.

• 94% of dealers think the direct-to-consumer model appeals to consumers, yet only 64% of auto buyers agree.
• 64% of auto buyers cite affordability as their biggest concern (compared with 40% of dealers).
• 3 in 5 auto buyers believe tariffs will have a negative impact on the U.S. auto industry.
• 67% have changed their plans or experienced higher costs due to recent automotive tariffs.
• 78% of dealers say they will be increasing their focus on selling EVs.
• 87% reported increased sales revenue from EVs in the past five years – up from 67% last year.
• Buyers are split on EV adoption: 48% agree that they will be ready for EV-only options by 2040, and 48% said they never will be ready.

AI DRIVES GROWTH

Executives say AI-led software development has led to a 44% increase in revenue, according to our Harris Poll report with GitLab.

• 58% of C-suite executives report their organization experienced business growth from software innovation efforts.
• 91% of executives say software innovation is a core business priority.
• 80% say they’re willing to invest more than half of their company’s IT budget in software development.
• 73% believe human input for human-AI partnership should be at least 50/50.
• Only 27% believe AI should do the majority of the work.

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