It often feels like all we ever hear about these days is how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is going to be an increasingly integral part of our daily lives.
From voice-activated virtual assistants to personalised product recommendations, the expectation is that AI will somehow seamlessly integrate into our routines. However, at One Picture, we’ve been considering whether consumers are on board with our AI future being set in stone? And furthermore, how do they feel about the AI enabled tech they’re already encountering?
As we scroll through social media feeds, engage in online shopping, or seek information from virtual assistants, many of us may not realise that the algorithms at play are powered by AI. Chatbots, recommendation engines, and predictive text features are just a few examples of AI-driven technologies that have become commonplace. Yet, the awareness of this fact varies among individuals. Recent research from One Picture suggests that only one in two people (47%) believe they have used a service that is AI-enabled. This revelation raises a crucial question: when individuals do discover that AI is at the helm, how does it impact their perceptions of the service, or even the brand delivering the service?
When confronted with the realisation that AI is orchestrating their digital experiences, people's reactions are diverse. Some embrace the efficiency and personalisation that AI brings to the table, whilst others long for the days when they could deal with ‘a real person’. In exploring this, One Picture has found three different ‘AI-ready’ personas in the UK population that differ significantly by age. One in five (18%) of us claim to be very comfortable with AI-powered services. Heavily biased to those under-35, this group is actively seeking out these AI opportunities from businesses when they can find them. At the other end of the spectrum, a quarter (28%) of us can be labelled as ‘anti-AI’. This older group (aged 55+) don’t feel at all comfortable with interacting with AI and prefer dealing with ‘real people’. In the middle is the largest group (53% of us) who are quite comfortable with AI-powered services being part of the future, but want a balance between the old & new worlds. The implication of these personas is that brands need to be ready to take their customers on an AI journey. It’s not good enough to just launch an AI enabled service and expect everyone to be on board. Brands need to explain the benefits of AI-driven technologies and how they enhance the overall customer journey, rather than doing AI for AI’s sake.
Fortunately, despite there being examples of where AI-enabled technology hasn’t always gone to plan (for example, a mental-health chatbot that veered off script), we do have evidence that when consumers are shown the customer benefits of a range of AI-enabled services, there is a broad level of appeal. For example, our research has identified that even when unbranded, 56% find Kingfisher’s AI-enabled how to do DIY tool appealing, 47% find Etsy’s AI-powered gift finder appealing, and 56% like the sound of Wayfair’s room design tool. The key is explaining why the service is of benefit to the customer.
As AI continues to permeate our daily lives, the question of readiness becomes paramount. Are people prepared for the transformative impact AI will have on their shopping routines? The evidence we’ve found at One Picture suggests a mixed bag of awareness and sentiment, but already we are helping brands understand the dynamic interplay between technology and human experience. Our expertise lies in unravelling these consumer sentiments, and supporting businesses as they navigate the evolving landscape. If you're curious about how AI-enabled tech will impact your customer’s behaviour or want to hear more about the research we’ve discussed here, contact us.
The findings in this article were part of primary research conducted by the One Picture Group UK office, exploring areas of retailing, shopping, and the role of artificial intelligence. If you are curious about getting access to the full presentation and how it impacts your customers, please email our UK MD Jennifer Calvey (JenniferC@onepicture.com)
One Picture Group is a strategy company, consumer insights and brand planning specialists who have been helping brands understand their customers for over 22 years. If you want to do a deep dive into your customer experience or brand strategy, contact our teams in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Key Contacts:
Jennifer Calvey (UK) JenniferC@onepicture.com
Jo Muller (NZ) JoM@onepicture.com
Richard Bourke (Australia) RichardB@onepicture.com
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