A Comparative Analysis of AI Perceptions: Examining Changes Over the Last Decade through New & Old Consumer Data

While artificial intelligence (AI) may seem like a recent tech trend, its presence has significantly impacted the lives of business owners, marketers, and consumers for several years. Understanding the evolution of how AI is perceived over time is crucial in gauging its influence on various sectors.

To delve into this evolution, we conducted a comparative analysis using data collected by HubSpot in the 2017 survey, encompassing responses from over 1,400 consumers globally. This data was then juxtaposed with findings from our latest 2023 State of AI Survey, featuring insights gathered from 1,350 business professionals.

How People Felt About AI in 2017

How People Perceive AI in 2023

How AI’s Perception Could Change

How People Felt About AI in 2017

In 2017, the landscape of AI perception was marked by an overwhelming 86% of people expressing interest in trying out AI tools. Recognizing this trend, businesses were advised to capitalize on this curiosity early on, particularly in areas such as customer service, to establish a competitive edge.

Customer service emerged as a key focal point, with 57% of consumers showing interest in receiving real-time answers from bots on company websites. Moreover, a significant portion of consumers expressed comfort in using AI-enabled technologies for more complex customer service requests.

Surprisingly, the 2017 report revealed that 40% of respondents had no preference between human support and AI tools when seeking assistance in a service setting. Perhaps most intriguingly, only 37% of respondents acknowledged using AI tools. However, through follow-up inquiries, it was unveiled that 63% of those who claimed non-usage were, in fact, utilizing AI technologies unknowingly, such as through voice search engines or virtual assistants like Siri.

How People Perceive AI Today

Fast forward to our 2023 State of AI Survey, and the attitudes toward AI have become notably favorable, with business professionals worldwide maintaining a keen interest in integrating this technology into their operations.

The survey indicates a heightened awareness among business professionals regarding AI usage in their workflows. Notably, 35% of marketers, 54% of bloggers, and 41% of business leaders actively employ AI tools such as chatbots, Jasper, Grammarly, and more in their daily tasks.