How does AI automation impact workers’ political behaviour?

There is mounting evidence that routine-biased technological change contributes to the rise of radical right parties. However, the political effects of artificial intelligence remain underexplored. While robotisation has mainly impacted the middle-skilled working class, AI may substitute cognitive tasks. This paper explores if occupational exposure to AI increases support for radical right parties. Using data from waves 8 to 10 of the European Social Survey (ESS) across 26 European countries, I employ a novel AI exposure measure based on the overlap between patent-based technological capabilities and occupational tasks. I find a positive association between AI exposure and radical right support. Mediation analysis suggests that this relationship is driven by migration misattribution and declining political trust. These findings suggest that AI labour market transformations may extend the appeal of radical right parties beyond their traditional working-class base.