Consumer Behavior

Gen AI penetrates over half of US internet households

Generated by AI/Adobe Stock

April 23, 2026

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Generative AI has reached more than half of U.S. internet households, 58%, but there's still a lag when it comes to monetization and trust.

Those are findings from Parks Associates research that also revealed current adoption number is up more than 10 percentage points from 47% in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a press release.

Just 16% of U.S. households use a paid version of an AI application.

The data shows that AI is evolving from a novelty app to an embedded utility across personal, professional and smart home environments.

"AI has moved into the mainstream of digital life," Jennifer Kent, SVP and principal analyst, Parks Associates, said in the release. "But the winners in the next phase won't be those with the most features — they'll be the companies that deliver trusted, embedded intelligence inside ecosystems consumers already value."

Additional findings include:

30% of consumers say they are less likely to purchase a product marketed as "AI-powered," nearly double the share who say such messaging increases purchase intent.
ChatGPT leads the market with 38% household usage, up from 26% one year ago; two-thirds of generative AI users report using ChatGPT.
15% of security system owners pay for AI-powered enhancements to their security services today, and security households account for roughly two-thirds of all paid AI users.