Our latest research uncovers four dominant consumer mindsets about GenAI. To drive value, organizations should focus on transparency, consistent service, making sure users feel in control, and creating experiences that delight.
the estimated market size for GenAI by 2032, up from $14.26 billion in 2023¹
of AI projects fail due to “lack of trust” from their consumers²
of consumers would stop using a product/service if it started using GenAI
Overcoming trust barriers in GenAI
Is one of your biggest Generative AI (GenAI) challenges actually a people problem? Our recent study, which included a survey of 1,000 US-based adults and a series of ethnographic interviews, identifies four main consumer perspectives on GenAI.
GenAI is here to stay, and organizations have ample opportunity to unlock its value. The market for GenAI will reach an estimated $200 billion by 2032, up from just $14.26 billion in 2023.¹ As GenAI empowers brands to create compelling experiences that drive growth and increase efficiencies, some brands are investing heavily in the technology. However, while GenAI can offer brands unprecedented opportunities, trust remains a hurdle to consumer adoption of GenAI-enabled products and services.
Consumers are concerned about GenAI—particularly about data privacy, security, and reliability. In our study, consumers expressed uneasiness about trusting GenAI-enabled technologies with their personal information, and they worried about information accuracy and potential misuse of the technology. Fifteen percent of the consumers we surveyed even revealed they would discontinue using a product or service if it started using GenAI capabilities. Respondents are also concerned about the loss of human connection and long-term social impact of GenAI. These specific concerns offer insight into why 80% of AI projects fail because of the “lack of trust” from their consumers.²
Despite these concerns, 80% of surveyed consumers are open to GenAI. Further, familiarity with the technology helps consumers understand and embrace GenAI in daily use. We found that increased use of GenAI indicates a potential reduction in skepticism, with users of five or more GenAI tools showing greater interest and openness compared to those with less experience.
Our research reveals insights into human behaviors related to GenAI as well as key principles on how to appeal to people based on their level of openness to GenAI:
THE MINDSETS
Consumers expressed a range of feelings toward GenAI—from very open to skeptical. Taking a targeted approach to designing GenAI experiences based on consumer mindsets can help your organization turn resistance into curiosity, and curiosity into excited engagement.
The Optimists
Embracing GenAI with enthusiasm and innovation
Comprising about a third of all users (29%), Optimists are a highly engaged and excited demographic, predominantly under 40 years old. Over half of the cohort under 35 (55%) are particularly receptive to GenAI, valuing its ability to save time and foster creativity and learning. Practical strategies to reach this segment include capturing and sustaining interest through engaging and rewarding experiences.
One user noted, “Getting personalized results made me feel helped. It saved me time and made me feel understood. It showed me sites and products I wouldn't have otherwise known about.”
As GenAI continues to evolve, the Optimists’ preferences and interests will likely shape the technology’s trajectory, driving advancements that align with their desires for efficiency, personalization, and discovery across key areas in media, tech, and entertainment.
The Maybes
A cautious yet curious approach to AI
The Maybes represent a demographic characterized by curiosity, and a cautious willingness to experiment with GenAI. With an average age of 45, this group is open to adopting new technologies. Their primary value drivers are saving time, finding new things, and learning new things. To engage this group, brands should offer experiences optimizing tasks and fostering learning and creativity.
One user remarked, “I simply sought out chatbot information when researching medications or insurance questions. I would not say it is fun. Sometimes good but can be frustrating.”
Adults in this age group primarily use GenAI for professional enhancements, leveraging its capabilities to improve efficiency and access to information. While they may not find GenAI particularly enjoyable, they acknowledge its practical benefits. Addressing the Maybes’ cautious yet curious nature will be important in expanding GenAI adoption and demonstrating its value in both personal and professional contexts for the cohort.
The Unaware
Navigating indifference and uncertainty in GenAI adoption
The Unaware, characterized by indifference, lack of information, and concerns about GenAI, include a significant portion of baby boomers (41%). To pique their interest, GenAI experiences should be transparent, feel seamless, and provide them with an efficient end or clear option for further exploration. Their primary value drivers are efficiency, aided exploration, and learning new things.
These respondents aged 50 to 64 are increasingly interested in personalized applications and user-friendly interfaces. A key issue to address here is transparency and informational gaps. The Unaware should receive educational touchpoints on how GenAI can create value for them in their everyday life to become familiar and comfortable.
Transparently demonstrating GenAI's practical benefits and ease of use can help shift the Unawares’ perspective from indifference to appreciation, fostering a more informed and engaged user base.
The Avoidants
Addressing skepticism and misinformation in GenAI adoption
The Avoidants, the most skeptical and averse towards GenAI, tend to be middle-aged and older, with about 70% between 40 and 70 years old. Engaging Avoidants is challenging, so start small: ensure smooth interactions and provide an “easy out” to speak with a human or avoid the technology. These respondents prioritize ease, transparency, and control. After a successful introduction, gradually introduce tailored, simple GenAI features. Their primary value driver is saving time, though 50% do not find value in GenAI at all.
As one Avoidant put it, “I haven't found a good reason to continue using AI experiences, and I actively try to avoid searches that use it.” Another noted, “I don't really think of these as positive experiences. They are creepy.”
Most respondents 64 and older said that they do not understand GenAI, which highlights the need to address informational gaps and misconceptions. As GenAI evolves, providing clear, transparent information and demonstrating tangible benefits will be important for adoption. By addressing the Avoidants’ concerns and offering user-friendly experiences, it is possible to foster a more informed and engaged user base, gradually reducing skepticism and misinformation.
4 key principles of designing GenAI experiences
Based on the mindsets above, we believe there are four principles organizations should apply to maximize the adoption and value of GenAI at scale.
Principle 1: Drive adoption by focusing on what consumers value
Efficiency stands out as a critical GenAI value driver for all consumer mindsets. The ability to save time and streamline repetitive tasks is particularly appealing, with 38% of respondents indicating they would try or continue using a GenAI product or service if it saved them time.
To design GenAI experiences that resonate across all mindsets, brands should focus on the following:
Additionally, consider how users and the market perceive your brand. Building trust with consumers, or maintaining it, is essential for improving GenAI adoption. Positive brand perceptions and experiences can serve as a bridge for individuals to experiment with and adopt GenAI. This is particularly true for:
Engage with Avoidants by addressing their concerns and providing opt-out options to transform potential resistors into advocates. This approach preserves their perception of the brand and can enhance overall satisfaction and retention.
By prioritizing efficiency, creativity, and education—and managing brand perceptions—companies can create GenAI experiences that appeal to a broad range of consumer mindsets, fostering greater adoption and satisfaction.
Principle 2: Alleviate concerns with transparency
Concerns about data privacy, security, and the reliability of GenAI technologies are paramount across all mindsets. Transparent communication about GenAI usage is important for fostering adoption and trust.
To alleviate concerns and help consumers feel informed, safe, and in control, brands should:
By addressing data privacy, security, and reliability concerns, and providing clear, accurate information to counteract misconceptions, brands can create GenAI experiences that make users feel informed, safe, and in control.
Principle 3: Reassure consumers by providing reliable experiences
All groups expressed that consistency of service would help increase and maintain their confidence in the product’s quality. This consistency is driven by the product’s ability to be accessed at the same price or for free and its capacity to reliably meet their needs.
Consistency of service is particularly significant for Maybes and Unawares, ranking as one of their top concerns. This underscores the importance of maintaining the accessibility and performance of a product or experience when integrating GenAI.
To drive confidence and provide a reliable experience with quality service, brands should focus on the following:
Principle 4: Build trust through empathy
Every mindset felt comfortable when GenAI served as a steppingstone to human interaction. Even among Optimists, this comfort was high, with close to a third indicating it was a top value driver for GenAI.
To build trust and create human connection, brands can consider:
It is not just about creating human connection but understanding the appropriate time and place for GenAI. Building and maintaining trust generally depends on addressing the right concerns at the right time. Research and human-centered design should be done as GenAI is integrated into products and services.
Cultivating trust for GenAI success
Our research on mindsets can help you engage effectively with diverse audiences. By applying our principles and targeting Optimists, Maybes, Unawares, and Avoidants, your organization can turn resistance into enthusiasm.
Create hybrid interaction models that smoothly transition to human interactions to reassure users that GenAI enhances rather than replaces human experiences. Provide clear, accurate information about GenAI’s capabilities and limitations to build user confidence and drive adoption. Ultimately, ensuring transparency and consistency of experiences, prioritizing efficiency, education, and creativity, and providing users with control over how their data is used can lead to a more engaged and satisfied user base and enhance the success of your GenAI initiatives.
About the authors
Amelia Dunlop is the chief experience officer at Deloitte Digital, helping companies develop winning strategies that combine innovation, creativity, and digital strategy. Amelia leads a team of problem-solvers who use human-centered design and customer insights strategy to help businesses shift their focus from the customer experience to the human experience.
Courtney Sherman is a principal at Deloitte Digital and co-leads our Product Innovation practice. As a leader in human-centered design, she develops solutions that cross over the physical and digital environments, including innovation strategy, customer experience strategy, concept development, and innovation capability building.
Menes Etingue Kum is a senior manager at Deloitte Digital, in our Digital Product and Innovation practice, where he helps financial service companies define and execute on innovation strategies that elevate the human experience.
Karen Escarcha, Sara Ciaramella, Mariel Soto Reyes, Victoria Estacio, Madalyn O'Dea, and Sofia Di Lodovico also contributed to this research.
1. Deloitte, A new frontier in artificial intelligence: Implications of Generative AI for business, 2023, https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/deloitte-analytics/us-ai-institute-generative-artificial-intelligence.pdf, accessed March 13, 2025.
2. Harvard Business Review, Keep your AI projects on track: Most go off course. To make sure yours succeed, consider these five steps, November 2023.
