AI (artificial intelligence, primarily generative AI tools) has received substantial market attention. Employees are strongly affected, mainly because many AI tools are marketed for productivity and work-related use cases. However, measuring the impact of the media and investor attention is essential to determine the level of interest, receptivity, and caution. There has been enough widespread awareness to measure employee sentiment. Furthermore, commercial computer makers have much of their future contingent upon how well their solutions are put into active use by employees and valued by their employers. Suitability of today’s AI tools aligns better with some occupations more so than others.
Approach: This TUPdate is based on the surveys of 1,404 respondents in the US in August 2024 as part of the MetaFacts TUP/Technology User Profile survey. Relevant to this TUPdate, we asked respondents to report their strong agreement to strong disagreement with a series of statements about AI on a five-point scale. The survey further gathered demographics, such as employee role.
Current TUP/Technology User Profile service subscribers can find these results on their client portal.
iPhone and Android switchers swayed by privacy, learning, and AI attitudes
Background:
A hotly contested group of consumers and employees includes those switching between using iPhones and Android smartphones. Attitudes about and experiences with AI will likely influence consumer’s choices of ecosystems. Apple recently announced Apple Intelligence, its own adaptation of user-facing AI, beyond the machine learning horsepower in its devices. Google has increasingly developed AI tools, with some being consumer-facing and others further back in the stack.
Approach:
MetaFacts surveyed 12,032 online adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan as part of its annual TUP/Technology User Profile 2024 study. Within the survey, along with detailing the smartphones they use, we have them report their purchase plans for the coming 12 months. We also assess their attitudes about AI’s ability to help them be more creative, productive, or to learn new things along with many other positive and negative attitudes about AI.
We analyzed the iPhone/Android switcher market by dividing the market into 16 segments based on their current use of an iPhone or Android smartphone and their intention to acquire an iPhone or Android or not refresh their device.
The connection between AI-assisted activities and home printing
Background:
Home printers have been declining in market penetration and usage for years. Before the pandemic, adults worldwide relied less on home computers or home printers and more on smartphones, tablets, or, for some of the employed, work computers and work printers. With the onset of the pandemic, many employees, students, and parents turned to home printers to get their work or schooling done. Recent widespread attention to AI holds the promise of a home printing resurgence as early adopters tap into their creativity or learning using AI tools, potentially sparking renewed interest in printing their creations.
Approach:
MetaFacts surveyed 12,032 online adults in the US, Germany, UK, and Japan as part of its annual TUP/Technology User Profile 2024 study. Within the survey, along with detailing the home printers respondents regularly use, we have them report about their printing activities. They also detail the activities they regularly do with their connected devices and those they do with assistance from an AI tool. Additionally, we assess their attitudes about AI’s ability to help them be more creative or productive.
Gen Z and Millennials are the least negative about AI in many countries
Background:
Any new technology undergoes an awareness and acceptance process before reaching any level of market penetration. That process often rests more on perception and attitudes than on objective measures of speeds, feeds, or productivity. The hype around all things AI has certainly addressed the awareness aspect, although the messages have brought more confusion than clarity for most consumers. Several themes have emerged around the possible benefits from AI assistance such as sparking creativity, boosting productivity, or fostering learning. Simultaneously, there are widespread concerns deterring adoption, including threats to privacy, incorrect results, and disappointment in the offering from what the user expected. Regarding which part of the market might be most accepting of AI, a widely held view is that Generation Z would be first. We’re hoping to address this presumption with empirical evidence.
Approach:
As part of the MetaFacts TUP/Technology User Profile 2024 study, we asked respondents to rate nine statements on a five-point agreement scale. For this analysis, we evaluated three statements as being positive: “AI is a very good way to learn new things,” “AI has been helping me be more productive”, and “AI has been helping me be more creative.” We measured three other statements as being negative: “I am concerned that AI may threaten my privacy,” “AI gives too many wrong answers,” and “AI is not as good as I thought it would be.” We calculated a difference score as the summation of positive ratings minus the negative ratings. We report this difference score by generation and country.
American employees and AI-assisted use cases – an emerging yet complicated work relationship
The workforce is one of the primary target markets for generative AI. From knowledge workers to front-line workers, employees of all roles have evaluated and implemented AI for various use cases. Many employers have been the driving force behind the commercial adoption of AI as they hope for productivity gains. Many employees are early adopters and find personal applications they enjoy, shaping their experience and expectations. However, broad market adoption has continued to encounter challenges. Employees and employers alike express concerns about their privacy, disappointment in what they’ve seen so far, and apprehension about getting too many wrong answers.
Approach
This TUPdate is based on the attitudes of 3,422 online employees in the US, selected and weighted to represent the online population. As part of the TUP/Technology User Profile 2024 wave, MetaFacts included questions about employees’ attitudes and expectations of generative AI tools. The survey measured attitudes around the benefits active AI users are enjoying, hopes for the future, privacy concerns, usefulness, and hardware limits. We defined active AI use as a combination of regular activities involving AI tools, specific services like ChatGPT and Copilot, or a Copilot+ PC. Among more than 80 regular use cases across all devices – smartphones, computers, or tablets – we reviewed various work-related activities, spanning communication, collaboration, creation, productivity, and others.
Pro and con attitudes make AI a pushmi-pullyu
Awesome and shiny new technology is not enough to gain rapid, active, or sustained market acceptance. Even widely touted technological phenoms are not guaranteed to be as widely accepted, as we’ve seen with smart homes, smart speakers, 3D printers, IoT, and others. Also, even broad initial acceptance does not translate into engaged or sustained use. Gauging consumer sentiment is one measure of generative AI’s challenges and opportunities ahead, especially by comparing the views of those with hands-on experience to those waiting or avoiding.
Approach: This TUPdate is based on the attitudes of 12,032 online adults in the US, Germany, the UK, and Japan, selected and weighted to be representative of the online population. As part of the TUP/Technology User Profile 2024 wave, MetaFacts included questions about consumers’ attitudes and expectations of generative AI tools. The survey measured attitudes around the benefits active AI users are enjoying, hopes for the future, privacy concerns, usefulness, and hardware limits. We defined active AI use as a combination of regular activities involving AI tools, specific services like ChatGPT and Copilot, or a Copilot+ PC.
The size of the active creative class
Renewed attention on AI (Artificial Intelligence) includes substantial promises to enhance the creative output of everyday users, something millions of people are already doing. Decades before widespread AI capabilities were incorporated into apps or hardware or even touted as feature enhancements, creative activities have been a regular part of many computer users’ lives and careers. The earliest adopters of any AI technology – and those that will continue to use and value the services – will be the already active creators. Non-creatives will show some initial curiosity, followed by disengagement. The extent of AI use by non-creatives will be is as a free or bundled enhancement service.
This MetaFAQs reports on the percentage of online adults who regularly create graphics or presentations or use professional creative software. Each activity is further split by personal versus work-related use and age generation. The research results are based on 12,003 US, German, UK, and Japanese respondents. Report [TUP_doc_2024_0222_crea] in TUP Lenses: Activities; User Profile; Devices
Microsoft CoPilot – generative AI as an enterprise Office 365 service for creatives
Microsoft announced an upcoming service for its Microsoft 365 service that integrates the user’s data using generative AI. Called Microsoft CoPilot, the service will first be offered to enterprises. This TUPdate measures the potential market of those most likely to adopt and benefit from the service.
College students aged 18-24 are uniquely creative
Young college students have long been a favorite for technology companies, mainly due to their eagerness to use technology, openness to experimentation, and a quest to establish brand dominance early. Younger adults are widely appreciated for their creativity, such as being exhibited on sites such as TikTok. However, the pandemic and economic shifts have impacted young adults, college students, and especially young college students. This MetaFAQs reports on the top 10 activities college students aged 18 to 24 use regularly with a smartphone, computer, or tablet, as well as those being done at a substantially higher rate among students than the average online adult. Comparisons include Americans and a global view of adults in the US, Germany, the UK, Japan, and China.
Platforms for employees using professional creative software for work purposes
Employees have a wide range of devices they regularly use for many work-related activities. Professional creative software is often the most demanding. However, the response to the pandemic has led to many employees working from home and using different devices than they typically use.
This MetaFAQs reports on the number of US, Germany, UK, and Japanese employees who regularly use professional creative software. It details how many use it on their primary computer, home computer, work computer, smartphone, or tablet.