5 Things to Know About Consumers and AI, According to the Experts at TechRadar and Tom’s Guide

“The best AI is not the star, it’s a supporting player”

By Keith Hernandez , VP of Industry, Tech at Future

This article is part of a series exploring the latest AI news and analysis from Future’s industry-leading team of technology experts.

At Advertising Week New York, I had the pleasure of moderating an engaging panel discussion alongside my colleagues and Future tech experts Lance Ulanoff, Editor-at-Large of TechRadar and Kate Kozuch, Managing Editor of Social and Video at Tom’s Guide to explore the average consumer’s perception of artificial intelligence.?

According to Future’s own research around consumer sentiment toward AI, 38% of consumers agree they don’t understand what AI even means.

As AI increasingly permeates everyday products—from laptops to washing machines—we sought to address a critical question: Do consumers truly understand what AI means, and do they genuinely even want these AI-driven products?

Consumers care, but need more clarity on how AI touches their lives

It’s clear that while AI is a popular buzzword, many consumers lack a comprehensive understanding of its functions and potential. Many people interact with AI technologies daily but may not fully grasp how these systems work or the implications of their use.?

“[Consumers] care because they’ve been told to care,” said Ulanoff.?

While people have heard of AI or see it integrated into products they buy, few understand or even care to understand the complex machine learning processes that underpin different assets of their everyday life, such as the content they consume through creators and influencers.?

“People aren’t giving creators enough credit on how much they’re relying on AI,” said Kozuch.?

“[Creators] have content plans completely built out by AI. ‘What videos should I post on which day? How many should I post on a given day? What time should I post?’”?

Brands and marketers should lean into the benefits of AI, versus just slapping the phrase on a product

The panelists emphasized that consumers are looking for practical benefits from AI products, such as enhanced convenience and improved efficiency. Brands must focus on articulating how their AI technologies can meet these needs.

“The past is prologue,” said Ulanaoff.?

“Sometimes I worry [AI] is like 3D television. When 3D television came out, everybody jumped on it, and every television brand decided to sell ‘3DTVs,’ except they were just selling regular TVs that had the 3D feature. So they flipped the whole thing on its head and thought consumers would buy into it. They did not…AI is like that in that right now it’s being positioned front and center.”

Ulanoff continued that brands may be racing ahead of consumers.?

“[Brands] are really hyped up about this, but they have to make sure consumers are engaged in the same way. I do think AI is tremendously important, but I do worry about it being the first two letters in a brand pitch, because I think that might be a mistake…the best AI is not the star of the show, it’s a supporting player.”

Despite the hype, AI is not as intelligent as us real humans - yet

While AI can operate autonomously in some contexts, it ultimately relies on humans for data and oversight, and still does not come close to human-level intelligence.?

“[AI] is faking intelligence,” says Ulanoff.?

“Sometimes really weird stuff happens. AI has absolutely hallucinated things that have never happened, and it does it with conviction…we are not nearly as close to general artificial intelligence as some people would like to make you think.”

“By far the biggest limitation with AI is that it lacks empathy,” added Kozuch.?

“[Consumers] follow [creators] because it triggers something in them emotionally. They can relate to a stress their favorite influencer is going through. They can relate to the excitement they get when they get a great brand deal…more and more I think people are becoming desensitized to these videos that are completely edited, scripted and voice-overed by AI. Those will get the views in the moment, but they’re not going to get an engaged, long-term audience.”

But don't worry, AI isn't the creativity-killer that many made it out to be — AI still needs human guidance to function.?

"The thought needs to come from somewhere first,” said Kozuch.?

“You can't put the picture there and just say, 'make it better'—that's not going to provide results."?

Ulanoff added that thoughtful prompting and manipulation by the user is still required for any good results.?

“AI is like a gigantic engine without any fuel. You’re the fuel. You’re the only thing that drives it.”

Consumers want trust and transparency from tech companies, but need to look out for themselves, too?

Issues such as data privacy, and job displacement due to automation are prominent in public discourse. Even if consumers are not deeply knowledgeable about AI, many express concerns regarding its implications. According to Future’s research, 46% of respondents cited privacy concerns as their top barrier to AI adoption.?

“There needs to be complete transparency about which data points are actually being pulled [by tech companies],” said Kozuch.?

“Is it your age? Is it how often you're logging onto a site? Is it information you agreed to share through your phone?...I know that when I see those types of guidelines laid out, I maybe think twice.”

Addressing these fears is crucial for brands aiming to foster trust and encourage adoption, but it’s important for consumers to be mindful, too.?

“It should be a mutually beneficial relationship...If you are comfortable giving your data, then you should be getting something out of it,“ added Ulanoff. “It’s about asking the questions, paying attention and making the decision upfront about what you want to be done with your data.”

Accessibility is the key to an AI-forward future for consumers?

As we move towards an increasingly AI-driven world, accessibility must remain at the forefront. According to Kozuch, making AI free is key to consumer adoption.

“A lot of the best AI tools are behind paywalls…Who wants to pay for another subscription? Especially for something they might not think they need?”

According to Kozuch, the forthcoming launch of Apple Intelligence, which will introduce iPhone users to new automated Writing Tools for proofreading and rewriting, Smart Replies to quickly reply to messages, Notification Summaries, Clean Up in Photos, and a redesign of Siri, is where we’ll see the shift in consumers beginning to understand just how impactful AI can be.?

“Having that access and having it be free and there to use is going to be a gamechanger.”?

To watch Future’s full session from Advertising Week New York, click here .