Utilizing AI for tangible and significant benefits
52% of respondents feel uncomfortable with emotional AI
Concerns over personal information protection are rising when using AI.

Gartner announced the results of an AI perception survey conducted for one month from January to February 2018. The survey results showed that the primary reason consumers use AI is saving time and money.

"Generally, the three main reasons consumers use other personal technologies are social interaction, self-image projection, and entertainment," said Stephanie Baghdassarian, research director at Gartner. "In contrast, AI appears to be used by consumers to obtain more tangible and significant benefits."

58% of respondents to the survey said they would be willing to use AI if it could save time by performing some of the work for them.

In addition, 53% of respondents said they would use AI if it could save them money. Research Director Stephanie Bagdasarian said, “For example, consumers can use AI to find places to buy desired items at the lowest prices or find the optimal route to save on tolls and fuel costs.”

In addition, 47% of respondents answered that they would use AI if they could access information more easily. This includes using AI to find routes and transportation, and identifying detailed information regarding personal consumption.
Consumers who feel uncomfortable with emotional AI
“Consumers are ready to form a new relationship with AI technology, but their preferences regarding how that relationship is formed are clear,” said Anthony Mullen, research director at Gartner.

According to survey results, more than 70% of respondents said they feel comfortable with AI analyzing their vital signs or recognizing their voice or face for secure transactions.

However, regarding AI reading emotions from users' voices or facial expressions, 52% of respondents stated that they do not want AI to analyze their facial expressions to understand what emotions they are feeling. Furthermore, 63% of respondents indicated that they do not want an approach where AI is constantly listening to learn more about the user.

"Not everyone who agrees to AI observing them has the same motivation," said Stephanie Bagdasarian, Research Director. "Millennials value AI better understanding them and interacting based on their behavior, emotions, and needs. Baby Boomers, on the other hand, demand safety and security regarding AI observation." "Generation X takes a similar attitude to Millennials regarding AI understanding their needs, and a similar attitude to Baby Boomers regarding safety and security," he explained.

Concerns about personal information protection
It has been found that consumers are expressing skepticism and concern regarding the impact of AI usage on personal information protection.

“65% of respondents believe that AI will destroy rather than improve privacy,” said Research Director Anthony Mullen. “As communication with systems shifts increasingly rapidly from humans to machines, IT leaders must personalize AI approaches to customer engagement to cater to diverse perspectives and preferences.” He added, "In addition, we must respect users' personal information and use AI tools to support privacy and transparency goals."

Gartner's customers can find more details in “ Market Insights: Accelerate Consumer AI Use with Efficiency, Security, and Sentiment ” and “ Market Insights: How Consumers Want to Interact with AI – Interface, Trust, and Autonomy .”