38% / 52% / 10%
StatAI
38% say AI improved their lives; half feel no change at all
Consumer sentiment about AI is calm rather than euphoric: 38% say AI has improved their lives, 52% report no meaningful change, and 10% say it made life worse. Meanwhile 43% of working adults see moderate-to-significant risk to their job within five years (46% of Gen Z).
Source
Menlo Ventures, 2026: The State of Consumer AI (with Morning Consult, n=5,067) (2026)
Shawn Carolan, Amy Wu Martin, Sam Borja (Menlo Ventures)
Menlo Ventures, 2026: The State of Consumer AI, sentiment and job outlook
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StatConsumer AI spending tripled to USD 40 billion while users grew just 11%StatPaying for AI flipped from 3% of users to 55% in one yearStatThe top 14% of AI spenders account for 60% of all consumer AI spendStatA quarter of Americans use AI daily; intensity is growing faster than adoptionStatDaily AI assistant use beats ride-sharing and food delivery combinedStatThe average AI user now runs three assistants side by sideStatA third of agent users have let AI act without final approvalStat92% of AI agent users pay for AI - agents are the monetisation frontierStatNearly a third of US adults have already earned money with AIStatAccuracy and trust now beat ease of use in choosing AI toolsStatDistrust of AI-generated information among non-users rose from 58% to 70%WarningKnown AI-generated content carries a 2-to-1 engagement penalty
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