Conventional wisdom says the more people use AI, the more comfortable they get with it. The 2026 data says the opposite.
According to Alchemer’s 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report, the consumers who use AI every day report more problems with it, worry more about what it gets wrong and are the most willing to pay to keep human support within reach. Familiarity breeds scrutiny, not comfort. And daily users are the fastest-growing segment of your customer base.
TL;DR — key takeaways
- Daily AI users are more than 2.5 times as likely as infrequent users to pay extra for guaranteed human support (27% vs. 10%), according to Alchemer’s 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report.
- 40% of daily users say AI made their experience feel impersonal, vs. 22% of people who use it less often.
- 30% of daily users worry about AI reaching inaccurate conclusions, vs. 20% of people less familiar with the tools.
- Among consumers willing to pay a premium of 20% or more, nearly half are daily AI users.
- Winning this segment means proving AI works, not asking for patience.
Do people who use AI more trust it more?
No. One pattern runs through the whole study: familiarity with AI doesn’t produce comfort with it. According to Alchemer’s 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Study of 2,009 U.S. consumers, daily users report more problems, more worry and more demand for a human backstop than people who use AI less often.
The likely reason is simple. Daily users know what AI can do well, so they notice faster when it falls short. They aren’t intimidated by the technology. They have higher standards for it.
How do daily AI users differ from infrequent users?
On every measure in the study, the gap points the same direction:
| Measure | Daily AI users | Less frequent users |
|---|---|---|
| Would pay extra for guaranteed human support | 27% | 10% |
| Would not pay extra for human support | 13% | 31% |
| Say AI made their experience feel impersonal | 40% | 22% |
| Worry about AI reaching inaccurate conclusions | 30% | 20% |
Daily users are also overrepresented at the top of the price curve. Among consumers willing to pay a steep premium of 20% or more for human support, nearly half are daily AI users.
Why does this matter for customer experience teams?
Because this segment is a preview. AI use is rising, and every new daily user moves toward the more skeptical column. Overall, 32% of consumers say AI has made their experience feel impersonal. That average will drift upward as the share of daily users grows.
It also changes who you’re designing for. Teams often build for the cautious beginner who needs reassurance. The data suggests the harder customer is the experienced one who knows exactly what good looks like and notices when a bot falls short of it.
Build AI your most skeptical customers can trust. Alchemer Iris uses purpose-built AI to detect themes and intent in real customer language, and lets you decide what AI touches and where a person steps in. Join the Alchemer Iris waitlist →
How do you earn trust with skeptical AI users?
Prove it, repeatedly. The data points to four moves:
- Keep a person reachable. For this segment, guaranteed human access is a purchase driver, not a courtesy.
- Get the substance right. Evaluate relevance and intent alongside factual accuracy. Daily users catch the answer that sounds right but misses the question.
- Make the experience feel owned. Improve the workflow behind the message, not only the wording. Use AI to identify and route the issue, then involve a person wherever judgment or empathy matters.
- Be transparent. 12% of consumers cite not knowing when they’re interacting with AI as a negative, and 13% cite concerns about how their personal information is used. Say when AI is involved and how customer data supports the experience.
Should you segment customers by AI familiarity?
Worth testing. If daily users are 2.5 times as likely to value guaranteed human support, a single escalation policy may under-serve them. Consider asking about AI comfort in your feedback surveys and comparing satisfaction, effort and repeat-contact rates across the groups.
Track the segment, not only the average. A blended score can look steady while your most experienced customers quietly lose patience.
What’s the optimistic read?
Skeptical customers are also engaged customers. They have opinions, they know what they want and they’ll pay for it. A company that delivers fast resolution, accurate answers and an easy path to a person gives this segment exactly what it asks for. In a market where scrutiny is rising, being the brand that passes the test is a real advantage.
Want the full report? Read the complete 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report for every breakdown, the full list of improvements customers want and five practical priorities for CX leaders.
Methodology: Alchemer’s Research Solutions team surveyed 2,009 U.S. consumers for the 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Study.
FAQ
Q: Do frequent AI users trust AI more?
A: No. Daily AI users report more problems and more worry than less frequent users, according to Alchemer’s 2026 AI & Customer Expectations Report. Familiarity breeds scrutiny, not comfort.
Q: How many daily AI users would pay for human support?
A: 27% of daily AI users would pay extra for guaranteed human support, compared with 10% of infrequent users, more than 2.5 times as many.
Q: Do daily AI users find AI customer service impersonal?
A: 40% of daily AI users say AI has made their experience feel impersonal, compared with 22% of people who use it less often.
Q: How should companies design AI experiences for skeptical users?
A: Keep a person reachable, evaluate intent and relevance alongside accuracy, route issues to owners and be transparent about when and how AI is used.