Are Consumers Ready for Generative AI?

A new global survey of 10,000 consumers reveals how people feel about generative AI, what they want from it, and what it will take for them to trust it.

Generative AI is already part of consumers’ lives, but most are still learning about it. According to the survey, 78% of respondents have heard of generative AI, and 50% have used it.

Generative AI Awareness and Usage by Age Group

Ages 18-24: 92% have heard of it, 72% have used it
Ages 25-34: 89% have heard of it, 67% have used it
Ages 35-44: 85% have heard of it, 61% have used it
Ages 45-54: 78% have heard of it, 50% have used it
Ages 55-64: 68% have heard of it, 35% have used it
Ages 65+: 55% have heard of it, 15% have used it

Overall, 37% of consumers use generative AI at least weekly, and 12% use it daily. Consumers are most likely to use generative AI for fun, learning, and work. Specifically, 54% use generative AI for fun or entertainment. Usage also varies by gender, with 60% of men having used generative AI compared to 40% of women. Among Gen Z (ages 18-24), 87% have used generative AI.

Reasons for Using Generative AI

Consumers want to use generative AI for practical tasks, but they’re not sure they can trust it yet. The top reasons for using generative AI are:

To save time (46%)
To get ideas or inspiration (45%)
To learn something new (19%)

Concerns About Generative AI

However, there are significant concerns:

Misinformation or inaccuracy (54%)
Privacy and data security (43%)
Lack of human touch (40%)

Building Trust in Generative AI

To build trust in generative AI, consumers want transparency, control, and human oversight. Specifically, 43% say they would trust generative AI more if they understood how it works, 25% want the option to opt out of generative AI experiences, and 40% want a human in the loop for important decisions.

Impact of Generative AI on Society

Consumers are split on whether generative AI will have a positive or negative impact on society. While 58% say generative AI will make life easier, 53% believe it will create new opportunities, and 53% think it will make people more productive, 21% say it will make life harder.

Children are growing up with generative AI, and parents are thinking about how to guide them.

Key Insights

Generative AI is already part of consumers’ lives, but most are still learning about it.
Consumers want to use generative AI for practical tasks, but they’re not sure they can trust it yet.
Consumers want transparency, control, and human oversight to trust generative AI.
Consumers are split on whether generative AI will have a positive or negative impact on society.
Children are growing up with generative AI, and parents are thinking about how to guide them.