A new report, “AI Usage in America: A Generational Divide,” released by Shift, the operator of a customizable browser, suggested that AI adoption is not following a simple young-versus-old pattern as consumers weigh the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.
Younger consumers in the United States who responded to a Shift survey were among the heaviest AI users but also the most conflicted. In the survey, 34% of 18-24-year-olds said AI is already “far too dominant,” and 67% expressed concern about its environmental and energy costs.
Shift reported that the demographic cohort most primed for explosive AI growth may not be the one most observers expect. Consumers ages 25-34 lead in daily AI use, with 43% engaging with the technology each day, compared with the overall average of 32%.
Still, Gen Z is moving fastest toward AI-first search, with 47% of 18-24-year-olds saying they use AI tools first when exploring online. Yet, overall, 58% of Americans still turn to traditional search engines first, even if they turn to AI at some point in the shopping process, including 44% of 25-34-year-olds, 50% of 35-44-year-olds, 72% of 55-64-year-olds and 83% of 65-year-olds and older.
According to Shift, middle-aged consumers in the U.S. represent a sleeper growth segment, as 46% of 35-54-year-olds said they intend to increase their AI use over the coming year. In contrast, 44% of adults 65 and older said they don’t know how to use AI, often citing a lack of familiarity regarding how to get started or when it can help them, and 40% never use the technology.
“Younger users are embracing AI, but they are also the most aware of its tradeoffs,” said Michael Foucher, Shift vice president of product and customer success, in announcing the survey results. “At the same time, older adults risk being left behind if AI is designed only for power users. This data is a call to action for the industry to build AI experiences that are accessible, transparent and genuinely optional. People do not want AI forced into every corner of their digital lives. They want AI that is useful, easy to understand and optional. That is especially important as the browser becomes one of the main places where search, productivity and AI are starting to come together.”
