More people are using AI chatbots, but for what?
The Ipsos Consumer Tracker asks Americans questions about culture, the economy and the forces that shape our lives. Here's one thing we learned this week.
Why we asked about AI chatbot usage: This is a trended question but also we had a client question about whether people are using AI for financial advice yet and this was a handy shell to ask that in. But mostly we’re always curious how much people are using AI and how much of the AI hype is an information bubble (and plausibly an investment bubble, too).
What we found: After a period of flatness as we’ve trended this question, usage is up vs. March, when we last asked about AI chatbots. This follows a period of intense and prolonged marketing, as well as significant technical advances and integration of these bots into more and more other components of our digital lives. That was all mostly true in March so we were kind of surprised then that usage hadn’t grown. Now it has.
Also in March, pretty much every task saw more people using it (compared to March 2024), which we posited at the time hinted at some bifurcation with those using the services becoming power users and pulling away from those who weren’t. This wave, we see usage of every sort decline slightly, in some cases all the way back to 2024 levels.
So overall, more folks are using it, but also doing less with these services? This is an interesting development, and one we’ll have to watch more closely. We did add one new item this time: Using AI for financial advice, which is currently below one in five Americans.
More insights from this wave of the Ipsos Consumer Tracker:
Fewer Americans are planning to drive for the holidays
Slight decrease seen in people wanting to reduce cravings through medication
The Ipsos Vibe Check: Here's how Americans feel about the government this week
The Ipsos Care-o-Meter: What does America know about vs. what does America care about?
