In recent years, artificial intelligence has evolved from a promise for the future to an integral part of everyday life. Looking at the international average, two out of three consumers regularly use AI-supported applications – whether privately, professionally, or in their studies[1], with generative online tools in particular shaping the everyday lives of many consumers.
But what about the perception of AI-optimised hardware – devices designed to make consumers’ everyday lives easier through dedicated AI hardware and functions?
A recent consumer survey by NIQ from July 2025, conducted in Germany, the UK, Japan, Korea, and the US, addresses this question.
Familiarity with AI benefits must be learned
While AI software enjoys high levels of awareness, the perception of AI-optimised hardware lags significantly behind. Awareness also varies greatly between product categories. Smartphones and small household appliances in particular benefit from intensive communication by manufacturers. For example, 57 percent of consumers have already heard of AI-optimized hardware in smartphones and 47 percent in the small household appliance segment. In the case of smartphones, AI is regularly advertised in connection with new premium models – for example, through improved camera functions or personalized user experiences. In the smart home sector, on the other hand, brands are building on existing scenarios: AI is marketed here as the next level of smart control, designed to further increase comfort and efficiency.
In the laptop (39 percent) and television (28 percent) segments, on the other hand, consumers are less aware of the benefits of AI-supported hardware. For many of those surveyed, the specific advantages of AI in these categories remain difficult to grasp. While AI improves photos on smartphones or optimizes energy consumption in the home, laptops and TVs often lag in communicating the added value, like product and energy efficiency .
Regional differences: from cautious to convinced
The study shows clear geographical differences in the perception of AI. Germany lags behind in international comparison. Only around 29 percent of consumers in this country are familiar with AI-optimized hardware: skepticism toward new technologies, coupled with a high awareness of data protection, seems to be slowing down openness to AI-optimised devices.
In Korea, the UK, and the US, on the other hand, acceptance is significantly higher. Korean consumers show particular interest in smart home solutions – and awareness of AI-supported household appliances is correspondingly high here. In the US and the UK, on the other hand, the focus is on smartphones and small household appliances, which are often perceived as the “first AI experience platform.”
A key finding of the study is that conscious and continuous communication about the advantages of AI pays off. When manufacturers specifically explain the concrete improvements that AI brings to their devices, consumer interest also increases. Smartphones are the best example of this – no other product benefits as much from the combination of technological innovation and intuitive communication of benefits.
What matters to consumers
Across national borders, consumers associate AI with one thing above all else: increased productivity. Whether at work, in education, or at home, AI is expected to help save time and complete tasks more efficiently.
The further development of smart home functions is also high on the wish list: many expect AI to make interaction with smart devices even more intuitive and connected.
One topic that is receiving less attention, however, is security. Although many manufacturers emphasize data and system protection in their communications, this aspect is currently a lower priority in the minds of consumers.
Ines Haaga, Director of Global Strategic Insights at NIQ, summarizes her study as follows: “The study makes it clear that AI has increasingly been adopted by society – but in many places, understanding of AI-optimized hardware is still in its infancy.” “Manufacturers who communicate the advantages of their AI technologies in a clear, understandable, and everyday manner have the best chance of gaining the trust and interest of consumers. Regional differences should be taken into account in a targeted manner – because what inspires enthusiasm in Korea does not automatically convince consumers in Germany,” adds Carine Chardon, Managing Director of GFU Home & Consumer Tech.
[1] KPMG and University of Melbourne Study 2025, assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmgsites/xx/pdf/2025/05/trust-attitudes-and-use-of-ai-global-report.pdf . Retrieved online, October 2025.gsites/xx/pdf/2025/05/trust-attitudes-and-use-of-ai-global-report.pdf . Online abgerufen, Oktober 2025.