This study investigates how attitudes toward artificial intelligence (AI), levels of technological competence and patterns of trust shape AI adoption, perceived labour-market risks and support for regulatory measures among working-age adults in Croatia. The analysis draws on data from a nationally representative CAWI survey conducted within the project Artificial Intelligence and Social Change. A subsample of respondents aged 18-64 (N = 418) was used for this study. The questionnaire included measures of AI usage, perceptions of labour-market uncertainty, technological and scientific trust, AI self-efficacy and attitudes toward regulation. Composite scales were constructed using reliability analysis and principal component analysis. AI adoption was modelled with binary logistic regression. Results show that younger age, stronger trust in AI and higher AI self-efficacy significantly increase the likelihood of regular AI use. Labour-market risk perceptions were examined using a general linear model, revealing that pro-technology attitudes (reverse-coded transhumanism) and higher trust in science are associated with greater perceived job insecurity related to AI, while demographic variables exert minimal influence. Support for AI regulation was analysed using logistic regression with a binary outcome capturing consistent pro-regulatory preferences. AI optimism, perceived labour-market risks and perceived technological risks all significantly increase support for regulatory measures, whereas demographic factors play only a marginal role. Overall, the findings indicate that AI adoption, labour-market concerns and demand for regulation are driven primarily by attitudinal and perceptual mechanisms rather than socio-demographic characteristics. The study highlights the coexistence of AI optimism and regulatory caution, pointing to a societal demand for governance frameworks that balance technological innovation with social safeguards.
Palić et al. (2026) studied this question.