Survey Finds Nearly Half of Consumers Are Using Generative AI and Most Expect To Use It More In The Next 5 Years

Washington – For many of us, interacting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become part of our daily lives. But just how prevalent is AI use among U.S. consumers?  A new survey by Morning Consult and commissioned by CCIA finds that close to half of consumers (45%) have used AI services, and more than half expect to use AI services in the next five years. 65% of consumers 13-17 years old are using AI. That may not come as a surprise, as young people are usually the group most likely to use brand-new technology. However, what is surprising is that 30% of consumers aged 65-70 say they have used AI services, and 7% use them on at least a weekly basis.

Some more takeaways from from the survey:

• Consumers are more likely to say that AI has more positive implications than negative ones (44% compared to 27% of those with a negative view, and 29% who don’t know)
• Over half (56%) of consumers expect to use more AI services in 5 years.
• Over a third (36%) of consumers think the benefits of AI outweigh the risks, more than believe the risks outweigh the benefits (32%) and don’t know (32%)
• More than half (52%) of consumers think it’s a good thing AI will increase our productivity and wages, even if it requires workers to undergo more frequent training for novel tasks
• Consumers who describe themselves as Independent (aka “swing voters”)  are the most skeptical of  AI regulation
• If AI legislation slows down innovation, only two-in-five (39%) Independents say this is a positive outcome

The following quote may be attributed to Trevor Wagener, CCIA’s Chief Economist and Director of the Research Center:

“Generative AI has developed from a novel invention to a widely used tool in just a few years, and most respondents expect to use AI more in the next five years. Optimism about the potential benefits of AI is more widespread than concern, and swing voters are skeptical of increased AI regulation. The one-third of Americans who don’t yet have an opinion on AI will shape the evolving contours of public opinion as they learn more about AI.”