Research on Consumer AI

Recommended Reading

AI adoption is accelerating, but so are the concerns. This reading list collects the research that matters — consumer perceptions, behavioral shifts, and the product gaps that represent both risk and opportunity. Consider it your primer on the consumer AI experience.

Early Insights Club tracks how these trends are evolving — new research, shifting consumer sentiment, and how it's all showing up in real product launches and user feedback.

Public Perception and Everyday Use

Pew Research Center

Key Findings About How Americans View Artificial Intelligence

Surveys U.S. public attitudes toward AI. Americans express more concern than optimism, particularly around jobs, misinformation, and erosion of human skills.

Anthropic

What 81,000 People Want From AI

Reports insights from over 80,000 global AI users on how they use and perceive AI. Users value productivity and learning support but express concerns about reliability, overreliance, and loss of control.

Yale Youth Poll

Fall 2025 Yale Youth Poll Results

America's largest poll of young adults. Findings include shifting approval of Trump among younger voters, 2028 primary preferences, and generational views on gender and antisemitism.

Current Challenges of AI

Harvard Business Review

AI Doesn't Reduce Work—It Intensifies It

Analyzes AI's impact on workplace expectations. AI increases output demands and expands workloads rather than reducing effort.

Harvard Business Review

When Using AI Leads to Brain Fry

Explores cognitive effects of sustained AI use. Frequent interaction leads to mental fatigue and reduced capacity for deep focus.

RAND Corporation

More Students Use AI for Homework, and More Believe It Harms Critical Thinking

Reports findings from the RAND American Youth Panel. AI use among middle school through college students increased substantially in 2025, while a majority believe it could harm their critical thinking skills.

Common Sense Media

AI Guidance and Resources for Parents

Offers guidance on AI use for children and families. Emphasizes supervision, transparency, and critical engagement.

Brookings Institution

A New Direction for Students in an AI World

Outlines how education must adapt to AI. Emphasizes critical thinking and AI literacy over memorization.

Anthropic

AI Assistance and the Future of Coding Skills

Studies AI's impact on programming. AI boosts productivity but may reduce deep understanding and increase reliance.

Michigan Medicine

AI and Psychosis: What to Know, What to Do

Provides a clinical perspective on AI and psychosis. AI may shape symptoms but is not a root cause.

Want to stay ahead of these trends?

Early Insights Club tracks how these trends are evolving — new research, shifting consumer sentiment, and how it's all showing up in real product launches and user feedback. For VCs, founders, and product teams making bets on consumer AI.

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