AI Manager Role Accepted by 15 Percent of Americans in New Poll

Would you replace your manager with a chatbot? Increasingly, Americans are saying yes. According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Monday, 15% of Americans would be willing to have a job where their direct supervisor was an AI program that assigned tasks and set schedules.

Quinnipiac surveyed 1,397 adults in the U.S., conducting the poll between March 19 and 23, 2026. The survey included questions about AI adoption, trust, and job fears. Most respondents said they wouldn’t want to replace their human boss with an AI manager.

However, the use of AI as a supervisor is gaining traction, even if it doesn’t involve directly managing entire teams. Companies like Workday have introduced AI agents that can handle expense reports for employees.

Amazon has implemented new AI workflows to take over some middle management duties, resulting in layoffs of thousands of managers. Engineers at Uber even built an AI model of CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to handle pitches before meetings with their actual boss.

Across organizations, AI is being utilized to eliminate layers of management in what some are calling “The Great Flattening.” Soon, we might witness entire billion-dollar companies operating with just one individual, supported by fully automated employees and executives.

Many Americans are apprehensive about the impact of artificial intelligence on their job prospects. According to the Quinnipiac survey, 70% of respondents believe that advancements in AI will result in a decrease in job opportunities.

Additionally, among those currently employed, 30% expressed concern, either very or somewhat, that AI might render their specific job obsolete.