Times of technological change, such as the present AI revolution, have a way of summoning old anxieties — and with them, old antagonists. Lately, that has meant the return of a lexical boogeyman that harkens back to a bygone era of techno-pessimism: the Luddites, those people over the years thought to fiercely oppose new technologies.
The Wall Street Journal recently declared 2026 “Hot Luddite Summer.” Gen Z’s growing skepticism about AI — documented in a recent Gallup poll, among other places — has led to comparisons with anti-tech resistance movements of yore. Some, such as the group of New York youth who call themselves the Luddite Club, embrace the label. Others, such as tech investor David Friedberg, use it to cast stones.
