Consumer disinterest in AI is becoming more evident across the market. While businesses and brands have embraced AI, often viewing it as an innovative and essential addition, consumers remain unconvinced.
Many see AI as a technology without a clear purpose or demand in their everyday lives. Rather than providing solutions that customers seek, AI often feels like a feature looking for a problem to solve. The disconnect between industry enthusiasm and consumer demand points to a critical gap in understanding what end users truly value.
AI gadgets are everywhere, but who’s really buying them?
AI products have rapidly flooded the market, appearing in everything from kitchen appliances to home security systems. Despite this, interest remains surprisingly low.
Initial excitement around AI-powered gadgets has not translated into sustained consumer demand or increased sales.
According to a study conducted by Forrester, only 31% of U.S. consumers have actually used generative AI, while 58% have heard of it but never tried it—suggesting that while awareness is high, the desire or need to engage with AI remains limited.
AI toothbrushes and coffee makers aren’t winning any fans
AI is now integrated into many different everyday items: toothbrushes that guide brushing technique, coffee makers that learn personal preferences, and even snow blowers that adapt to varying snow conditions.
Companies have been quick to add AI capabilities to products, positioning them as smarter, more efficient, or personalized. These enhancements, however, typically come with little added value for consumers.
Products like AI-powered toothbrushes or mattresses do not fulfill a pressing need; instead, they seem to offer solutions to problems that consumers do not perceive to exist. This overreach mirrors the earlier Internet of Things (IoT) trend, where connected devices often seemed unnecessary or cumbersome, pointing out a pattern of technology being pushed rather than pulled by market demand.
Marketers are missing the mark on what customers want
Marketers need to recalibrate their approach to focus more on understanding and responding to genuine customer needs. Jim Stengel, former CMO of Procter & Gamble, famously transformed the Swiffer brand into a multi-billion-dollar platform by prioritizing customer insight over product features.
Stengel’s success reiterates the importance of deeply understanding what consumers want before introducing new technologies or features. Too often, companies focus on the novelty of AI rather than its utility, ignoring the reality that consumers may not want or need an AI-driven solution for every aspect of their lives.
Why AI branding is turning consumers away
Consumers are increasingly skeptical of AI-augmented products, perceiving them as unnecessary or overly complicated. Negative sentiment towards AI isn’t anecdotal; studies consistently show a lack of enthusiasm for AI in everyday items.
Studies show AI descriptions are killing sales
A study involving 1,000 consumers found that products labeled with “artificial intelligence” were consistently less popular than those without the label. Mentioning AI decreases emotional trust in the product, which directly affects the likelihood of purchase.
Brands need to rethink how they communicate the benefits of AI without triggering consumer apprehension.
According to Mesut Cicek, a clinical assistant professor of marketing at Washington State University, the term “artificial intelligence” often creates anxiety and doubt among consumers, leading to reduced purchase intentions.
AI is a deal breaker for big-ticket items
Descriptions featuring “artificial intelligence” tend to lower consumer interest, even for popular items like smart televisions. The negative impact is amplified for high-risk or expensive purchases, such as medical devices or advanced electronics, where consumers are more wary of potential financial losses or safety concerns.
Hesitancy surrounding these products suggests that consumers see AI as a gamble rather than an enhancement, particularly when their health or large investments are at stake.
The big problem with trying to explain AI to customers
Many brands believe that they can change consumer perceptions of AI by simplifying its explanation, assuming that fear or mistrust stems from a lack of understanding. The evidence, however, suggests that this approach may be misguided.
Why explaining AI is a waste of time for brands
Efforts to clearly explain AI often miss the mark because they fail to address the core issue: consumers are not interested in AI for its own sake. Instead, they want products that meet their needs without unnecessary complications.
Simplifying explanations does little to change the fundamental lack of interest. Many consumers already recognize that AI is promoted because it benefits the company’s goals more than theirs. Explaining AI in simpler terms may not solve the deeper issue of consumer disinterest.
AI is the new IoT and consumers aren’t interested
AI follows the same trajectory as the Internet of Things (IoT), where technology is added to products without providing clear value to the consumer. Much like the IoT trend, which saw internet connectivity added to everything from fridges to lightbulbs, AI seems to be everywhere but isn’t driving demand.
Many IoT products, like internet-connected dishwashers or locks, were perceived as unnecessary and often served as data collection tools rather than adding meaningful value to the consumer experience. AI, in many cases, seems to be headed in the same direction.
Why consumers just don’t care about AI
Consumers are largely uninterested in AI-enhanced products, viewing them as unnecessary or irrelevant. Poor enthusiasm is more about perceived usefulness than a lack of understanding.
Why consumers don’t want AI in their daily gadgets
Consumers see AI as a technology that companies think they should have rather than something they actually want. Products like AI toothbrushes, grills, coffee makers, mattresses, pillows, baby monitors, snow blowers, and even “dog companion robots” are often viewed as solutions in search of a problem—leading to resistance and skepticism, especially when the AI does not deliver a clear, practical benefit to the user.
Why generative AI often feels like a pointless addition
Generative AI is often seen as limited in its capabilities. It’s described as a “stochastic parrot,” meaning it generates responses based on the most commonly used answers in similar situations rather than offering true intelligence or unique insights.
Consumers are frequently reminded of these limitations when encountering irrelevant or nonsensical AI suggestions, such as a Facebook prompt asking, “Do you want to know more about light?”—reinforcing the perception that AI lacks practical application in many contexts.
Consumers know enough about AI and they’re not impressed
Consumers’ awareness of AI is already high, and there is little evidence that this knowledge gap contributes to the lack of interest.
Consumers are aware of AI and that’s not the problem
According to Forrester’s March 2024 Consumer Pulse Survey, 31% of U.S. consumers have used generative AI, while 58% have heard of it but never used it.
Despite high awareness levels, engagement remains low, indicating that the problem is not a lack of understanding but rather a lack of perceived value. Even though U.S. consumers are more familiar with AI than those in other countries, the engagement and enthusiasm for AI-driven products are minimal.
There’s no AI Mystery, consumers get it and still don’t care
The idea that AI is shrouded in mystery is misleading. Consumers understand AI and recognize that its promotion often serves business interests more than their own. As such, efforts to “demystify” AI do not address the fundamental disconnect between consumer needs and the technology being offered.
Brands need to make things people actually want
To bridge the gap between product offerings and consumer needs, brands need to shift their focus from pushing AI to understanding and fulfilling actual consumer desires.
Forget AI, focus on products that consumers really want
Brands should prioritize creating products that deliver genuine value to consumers. If a product includes AI, it should do so because it enhances functionality in a way that aligns with customer needs, not just for the sake of innovation.
Much like consumers don’t prioritize what kind of computer chips are in their cars, they don’t inherently care about AI unless it directly benefits them.
The challenge lies in aligning product development with what customers truly want, a straightforward but complex task in a market driven by constant technological advancement.
Final thoughts
As the market becomes increasingly crowded with tech-driven products, brands must ask themselves: Are we creating solutions that genuinely matter to our customers, or are we just riding the latest technology wave?
It’s time to carefully assess your strategy—focus on what truly resonates with your audience, or risk becoming another forgotten trend. What will you choose to offer: real value or just another feature?
