Almost half the UK population believes AI features on smartphones are overhyped, according to a new study commissioned by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
The survey, conducted by research firm Opinium, quizzed 2,000 UK adults last month. The results reveal that consumers want AI tools to be practical, intuitive, and relatable. For brands to succeed in this space, they must bridge the gap between innovation and everyday value, ensuring AI becomes more than just a buzzword and delivers meaningful benefits to users’ lives.
While a third (34 per cent) of the UK population is keen to embrace AI, scepticism remains widespread, with many struggling to see the value in the latest tech offerings.
Despite the smartphone industry’s hype around AI, just six per cent of consumers consider AI features a priority when upgrading their phones. Instead, most favour brand familiarity (28 per cent) and battery life (21 per cent) as the top decision-making factors.
THE TRUST GAP IN SMARTPHONE AI
More than half of Brits surveyed (53 per cent) admit to never using the AI functions on their phones. Almost half (47 per cent) say they don’t know how to operate these features. The challenge is even more pronounced among older users, with 61 per cent of those aged 55+ struggling to navigate AI tools.
Even among active AI users, the focus remains on practical tools like security features such as facial recognition (24 per cent) and virtual assistants (21 per cent), rather than exploring novel AI applications.
Frustration with AI errors
Fiifty six per cent of users polled report experiencing mishaps, including incorrect predictive text messages (27 per cent) or digital assistant failures (14 per cent). This disconnect highlights a significant gap between innovation and practical utility, says Uswitch mobile specialist Ernest Doku.
WHAT DO USERS REALLY WANT FROM AI?
Rather than today’s AI offerings, respondents envision future tools like lost item locators, pet translators, and even lottery number predictions. Other desired applications include AI solutions for managing customer service calls, reflecting a strong demand for technology that simplifies everyday annoyances rather than adding complexity.
ANDROID VS APPLE: AI USAGE PATTERNS
The research uncovered clear differences in AI usage between Android and Apple users. Android users are more likely to rely on spam or scam detection (29 per cent vs. 22 per cent). Apple users lead in adopting virtual assistants (28 per cent vs.17 per cent) and biometric security features like thumbprint scanning (19 per cent vs.10 per cent).