HackerNoon Polls

HackerNoon Technology Polls

HackerNoon readers are younger, wealthier and more educated than the internet's average.
These polls represent where forward thinking technologists see the industry headed.

Big Tech is cutting staff to fund $100B in AI. Your take?

Amazon, Intel, and Microsoft are cutting thousands of roles to fund $100B+ in AI infrastructure. This trend represents a move from headcount-led growth to compute-led growth. Companies are flattening organizational structures to free up the massive capital required to build data centers, purchase custom silicon, and secure energy for AI models. What’s your take on this "Big Tech Pivot"?

Poll Results

The bubble is about to burst (Over-investment)
33%
Short-sighted cost cutting (Losing talent)
26%
A necessary evolution (Innovate or die)
22%
Time to pivot my own skills (Bracing for impact)
19%
What's the Biggest Risk to the Open Internet?

It feels as if the internet is in a rocky state, and it can tumble at any moment. In your opinion, what's the biggest risk to the open internet?

154 Voters

Poll Results

Declining content quality
29%
Overreliance on algorithms
21%
Overregulation and moderation
20%
Paywalls
15%
Other (Let us know in the comments!)
15%
Which humanoid robot from CES 2026 is the most promising?

CES never disappoints when it comes to robots. This year’s show was packed with humanoids that danced, boxed, played ping-pong, folded laundry, ran convenience stores, and even debuted in production-ready form.

122 Voters

Poll Results

Atlas (Boston Dynamics) — The “this one might actually work” humanoid
39%
The Laundry Assistant (Dyna Robotics) — Boring, practical, and already deployed.
16%
The Convenience Store Assistant (Galbot) — A clear example of service robots in real settings
11%
Other (please share in the comments)
11%
The Boxer (EngineAI) — Unpolished, but a glimpse at expressive humanoid movement
10%
Dancing Humanoid (Unitree) — More capable than it looks, even if mostly for show
7%
The Home Butler (LG’s CLOiD) — Early, slow, but clearly aimed at everyday domestic use
7%
Do you use antivirus software on your PC?

164 Voters

Poll Results

Kinda - I use my computer's default antivirus software but don't necessarily seek any third party software
41%
Yes - I go out of my way to have a third-party antivirus software installed on my PC
32%
No - I disable antivirus software the first chance I get
27%
Was 2025 the “Death of the Generalist AI”?

The "Death of Generalist AI" refers to the end of the one-size-fits-all era. In its place, Small Language Models (SLMs) and Domain-Specific AI have emerged as the industry's workhorses. These models are trained on curated, high-fidelity data for specific sectors like law, healthcare, and finance, allowing them to outperform general models in accuracy and reliability within those niches. By running locally on hardware or on-premise servers, they prioritize privacy (data remains on-device), speed (zero cloud latency), and cost-efficiency.

162 Voters

Poll Results

No. Generalist models like ChatGPT and Gemini still dominate.
31%
Not really. Generalist and specialized AI now exist as a hybrid.
29%
Yes. Highly specialized models now dominate.
27%
Doesn’t matter. Generalist AI is just rebranding.
14%
What's your favorite movie this year?

0 Voters

Poll Results

Avatar
0%
One Battle After Another
0%
Bugonia
0%
My Father's Shadow
0%
How do you want your AI to sound when it talks to you?

OpenAI has introduced new controls that let users adjust how ChatGPT sounds, including its warmth and enthusiasm. The change follows concerns that overly expressive AI can encourage emotional reliance or blur the line between tool and companion. By letting users choose the tone themselves, OpenAI aims to give people more control over how AI communicates with them.

229 Voters

Poll Results

Don't care about tone. Just be accurate
31%
Friendly
21%
Neutral
18%
Professional
17%
Expressive
12%
What Do You Think About Disney’s $1B Deal Letting OpenAI’s Sora Use Disney Characters For AI-Generated Video?

In a landmark $1 billion deal, Disney is partnering with OpenAI to bring over 200 iconic characters into the Sora video generation platform. This collaboration allows for the official creation of AI-generated video content using Disney IP, blending traditional animation history with the future of generative AI.

127 Voters

Poll Results

Dangerous precedent for IP & labor - It normalizes big studios using AI with legacy IP while creative unions and independent artists fight for basic creative protections
32%
Cautious optimism - The idea is promising, but everything depends on strict guardrails: clear labeling of AI content, fair artist compensation, and meaningful content moderation
24%
Exciting creative future - This unlocks huge potential for fans and small creators to tell new kinds of stories with Disney characters
22%
Undermines human artists – This accelerates a shift away from human animators, writers, and VFX workers, devaluing the craft and livelihoods that built Disney in the first place
21%
What would make you trust AI more in high-stakes uses?

147 Voters

Poll Results

Independent audits and certification
25%
Nothing—I’m not there yet
23%
Open model documentation
20%
Stronger liability for companies
17%
More user control/opt-out
15%
Which company will define the next decade of tech?

We're more than halfway through the decade, but we're looking forward to the next 10 years. Who will become the trendsetter?

223 Voters

Poll Results

OpenAI
26%
NVIDIA
24%
Other (let us know in the comments!)
24%
Microsoft
16%
Apple
11%