60% of Consumers Use Voice Assistants

Younger generations are drawn to the rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology. At the same time, excitement around voice assistants, once heralded as the next big thing, is cooling off.

Despite initially promising to change the way consumers interact with technology, voice assistants now face skepticism and declining usage across age groups.

According to a PYMNTS Intelligence report, “GenAI and Voice Assistants: Adoption and Trust Across Generations,” this shift is raising questions about the staying power of AI innovations and what the future holds for these technologies.

Trust in Voice Assistants Declines

Voice assistants, once hailed as groundbreaking, are facing a decline in consumer trust. According to the report, only 60% of U.S. consumers use voice assistants, down from previous years. This decline is especially pronounced among millennials and bridge millennials, who were once the most enthusiastic users.

In March 2023, 73% of consumers expressed confidence in voice assistants becoming as smart and reliable as humans, but 15 months later, that figure dropped to 60%. Additionally, the percentage of consumers who are skeptical about the future capabilities of voice assistants increased from 27% to 40% during the same period. This suggests the technology has not met user expectations for reliability and performance, leading to increased frustration and waning trust.

Struggle in Critical Moments

Trust in voice assistants continues to decline, particularly in emergency scenarios. The share of U.S. consumers who would trust voice assistants to call for help in an auto accident has dropped from 50% to 43%.

Similarly, trust in using voice assistants to notify family of a late appointment has decreased among millennials, from more than 55% to 48%. This decline is mirrored across all age groups, including Gen Z, Generation X and baby boomers.

According to the report, the drop in trust is attributed to the failure of voice assistants to meet users’ high expectations for performance and reliability. Consumers, especially early adopters, have grown frustrated with the lack of progress, prompting a shift away from voice technology. As demands for more advanced capabilities rise, many users no longer see voice assistants as dependable tools in critical moments.

GenAI Gaining Ground

While voice assistant adoption stagnates, GenAI is experiencing rapid growth across generations. Consider 82% of Gen Z and 78% of zillennials are familiar with GenAI, with familiarity among boomers and seniors increasing from 23% to 41% over the past year.

Additionally, 34% of U.S. consumers used GenAI, with Gen Z leading at 63%. Many use GenAI for quick information retrieval (47%) and text editing (41%). While voice assistant usage declines, there’s hope that integrating GenAI could revive the technology, particularly as Gen Z leads voice assistant usage through smartphones.