Most Americans aren’t that into AI. But they do like it for photo editing.

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.