Despite tech companies’ enthusiastic push to integrate AI assistants into products, new research reveals a significant gap between corporate ambition and actual consumer demand. A March 2025 ZDNET-Aberdeen survey shows a striking 71% of Americans are unwilling to pay extra for AI capabilities in their products, with resistance particularly strong among older demographics. This reluctance raises important questions about whether the tech industry’s AI-centric strategy actually aligns with what users currently value and need.
The big picture: Americans across all age groups show surprising resistance to AI assistant features, with only 8% willing to pay extra for such capabilities in their products.
- While younger users show marginally more interest, even among the 18-34 demographic, only 16% would pay a premium for AI features.
- The enthusiasm gap widens dramatically with age, as 81% of those over 55 reject paying for AI assistant functionality.
Key details: Most consumers remain skeptical about using AI assistants for everyday tasks, with only one application gaining even modest traction.
- Only 52% of respondents said they would use AI to answer questions either frequently or occasionally.
- A mere 13% indicated they would frequently use AI for question-answering purposes.
- A substantial 64% stated they would not use AI assistants to manage tasks at all.
Why this matters: The research suggests tech companies may be significantly overestimating market demand for AI assistants, potentially misallocating resources and development priorities.
- 31% of respondents said they would abandon products entirely if they couldn’t disable AI assistant features, with an additional 38% indicating they might do the same.
- This consumer resistance could create competitive opportunities for companies offering more user-controlled AI experiences.
Behind the numbers: Photo editing emerged as AI’s most valued application, with 58% of respondents finding it either very or somewhat valuable.
- This suggests consumers may prefer targeted, practical AI implementations over general-purpose assistants.
- The data indicates users want control over when and how AI is deployed rather than having it embedded as an unavoidable feature.
Methodology: The findings come from a methodologically sound survey conducted by YouGov Plc with 2,354 adult participants between March 6-10, 2025, with results weighted to represent all US adults.
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