While tech firms boast of artificial intelligence as the next big smartphone phenomenon, recent polls show that consumers are far from impressed.
According to the second-hand smartphone marketplace platform SellCell, the majority of customers for AI-hyped smartphones see little or no need for the much-hyped feature.
The study, conducted among over 2,000 smartphone owners, cited a high level of disinterest in mobile AI. Approximately 73% of iPhone owners and 87% of Samsung Galaxy owners said that AI adds “little to no value” to the smartphone experience.
They emerge at a time when companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google are pulling out all the stops to sell AI capabilities in the latest products.
Smartphone AI: Hype vs. Use
Apple Intelligence, Galaxy AI, and Google Gemini are all being positioned as revolutionary upgrades to modern smartphones, yet the study reveals a broad disconnect between hype and customer satisfaction.
Perhaps of more concern to makers is that a majority of users would not compensate for AI features. An astonishing 86.5% of iPhone users and 94.5% of Galaxy users indicated that they would not pay to subscribe in order to continue utilizing AI features.
This is especially significant for Samsung, which includes six months of free Gemini Advanced with Galaxy S25 phones but will not likely turn many users into paying subscribers past that.
The survey also examined whether AI features influence brand loyalty. Only 16.8% of iPhone users would consider switching to Galaxy for better AI, while a mere 9.7% of Galaxy users would switch to iPhone for the same reason.
However, AI seems to factor more into iPhone users’ purchasing decisions, with 47.6% considering AI features important when buying a new phone, compared to just 23.7% of Samsung users.
Smartphone AI A Solution in Search of a Problem?
When it comes to brand pride, Apple fans showed slightly more enthusiasm, with 15.4% claiming Apple Intelligence outperforms Galaxy AI. Meanwhile, only 7.8% of Galaxy users believed their AI technology was superior.
A deeper look at usage patterns reveals that less than half of users are even trying these features. Only 41.6% of iPhone users and 46.9% of Galaxy users have experimented with AI functions on their devices.
Many iPhone users haven’t updated to iOS 18.1 to access Apple Intelligence, while Galaxy users express general disinterest in the available features.
Around one-fifth of iPhone users and two-fifths of Galaxy users also cited AI inaccuracy as a reason for avoiding these tools.
Several factors might explain this widespread apathy. Environmental concerns could be deterring some users, as AI technology requires significant water resources and produces substantial carbon emissions. Others may worry about AI’s impact on human creativity and culture.
The complicated, drawn-out software rollouts for both Apple Intelligence and Samsung’s One UI 7 might also be contributing to consumer fatigue, making these features difficult to follow even for tech enthusiasts.
Ultimately, the survey suggests that smartphone AI may be a solution in search of a problem. Current implementations don’t seem to address genuine user needs or pain points in ways that feel meaningful to average consumers.
As manufacturers continue investing heavily in mobile AI technology, they face the challenge of creating features that offer clear, practical benefits rather than flashy but ultimately forgettable gimmicks. For now, it seems most smartphone owners are perfectly content without artificial intelligence in their pockets.
