Artificial intelligence (AI) products for the home such as robots and automated assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home continue to draw consumers’ interest. In its latest Global Consumer Insights survey, PwC reports that roughly one third (32 percent) of global consumers are planning home AI purchases . The survey, which assessed the shopping behavior, habits and expectations of more than 22,000 consumers in 27 countries, also found that 10 percent of respondents already own artificial intelligence devices.
“AI is moving very rapidly into the consumer and retail sectors,” says John Maxwell, global consumer markets leader, PwC. “Consumers are shifting their shopping behaviors. As soon as they want something, they can order it, rather than think about it until their next shopping trip. Within two to three years AI could revolutionize how companies profile, segment and serve customers.”
Interest among U.S. consumers lags behind the global average, with 25 percent of respondents planning a purchase. This is in line with their French (25 percent) and British (24 percent) counterparts. In fact, PwC reports that interest in AI devices is strongest among consumers in emerging economies including China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand. Brazilian and Chinese respondents are twice as likely (59 percent and 52 percent, respectively) to plan to own an AI device as those in the U.S. Italy and Poland also showed strong interest, with around 40 percent of respondents planning to buy an AI device.
Across all markets, early adopters of AI devices tend to be men ages 18 to 34 who are open to collaborative consumption and who are less likely to take action to reduce the risk of online security issues and fraud, and less price conscious.