AI has become part of everyday life remarkably quickly. People use it to write emails, find information, plan holidays, understand difficult subjects, create images and even decide what to cook for dinner.
Our latest FN Research study found that 30% of Northern Ireland consumers surveyed said they used AI tools often. Only 16% said they never used them. (From our White paper Northern Ireland’s AI Reality)
For a business looking at those figures, it would be easy to conclude that consumers are becoming comfortable with AI. However, we wouldn’t make that assumption, because when we looked beyond usage, the picture became much more interesting.
Using AI Doesn’t Mean People Trust It
One of the clearest findings from our research was that usage and trust are very different.
People used AI while still questioning it. Some checked answers, others compared different tools, and some deliberately limited their use when accuracy mattered.
And attitudes changed significantly depending on what AI was being asked to do.
- 71% thought AI was useful for learning.
- At the same time, 88% believed AI could threaten jobs and 87% were concerned about misinformation or disinformation.
That’s quite a gap.
Consumers can find AI useful on Monday and still be deeply uncomfortable with how a company uses it on Tuesday. For businesses, that distinction matters.
Convenience Is Helping Drive AI Adoption
So what is encouraging people to use AI? Often, something surprisingly ordinary.
Convenience
Our research found people using it to save time, simplify tasks and get a quick starting point. They were drafting emails, summarising documents, researching topics and getting difficult information explained more simply. AI was finding its way into people’s lives through small moments of usefulness.
That gives businesses a useful clue. If you’re introducing AI to customers, don’t assume the technology itself is the selling point.Understand the problem your customer wants solved.
Only 10% Found Companies Using AI More Appealing
This was one of the findings we found particularly interesting.
Only 10% of those surveyed found companies that used AI more appealing.
Simply saying that your business “uses AI” isn’t necessarily going to impress your customers. They are much more likely to care about what it does for them.
- Does it save them time?
- Does it make something easier?
- Does it improve the service?
- Can they still speak to somebody when they need to?
- And what happens to their data?
These are customer questions, rather than technology questions. And they’re exactly why consumer insight needs to be part of AI decision making.
Consumer Insight Can Reduce The Guesswork
Before investing heavily in an AI-led customer experience, find out how your customers feel about it.
- Which applications are they comfortable with?
- Where do they expect a person to remain involved?
- What makes them nervous?
- What reassurance would increase confidence?
- Does using AI improve their perception of your organisation or damage it?
Our Northern Ireland research showed that acceptance changed depending on the task and potential consequences. That’s something a national statistic can’t necessarily answer for your particular customers.
Start With Your Customer
AI will continue to change. Customer expectations will change with it.
For senior managers, the challenge is deciding where the technology genuinely adds value and where it could introduce new risks.
That’s where good consumer insight earns its place. At FN Research, we’ve spent more than 15 years helping organisations understand Northern Ireland consumers and turn that understanding into better business decisions. AI is simply the latest decision where listening before acting could save a lot of time, money and customer confidence.
These findings come from FN Research’s Northern Ireland’s AI Reality study, based on primary research conducted during July and August 2026 with 130 Northern Ireland adults and 12 one-to-one depth interviews. “Northern Ireland’s AI Reality.”
To read part 2 in this series “Could the way your business uses AI damage customer trust” click here
To read part 3 ” Before you invest in AI, find out where it actullay adds value” click here
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do Northern Ireland consumers trust AI?
A: FN Research’s 2026 study found a mixed picture. People recognised practical benefits but remained concerned about accuracy, jobs, misinformation and human control. Trust also changed depending on the task and its consequences. Northern Ireland’s AI Reality …
Q: What encourages consumers to use AI?
A: Practical usefulness was important. Consumers were particularly comfortable when AI saved time, simplified information or helped with routine tasks. Northern Ireland’s AI Reality …
Q: How can consumer research help a business introducing AI?
A: Research can identify which uses customers welcome, what creates resistance, where human contact remains important and which safeguards build confidence. These were among the questions identified by FN Research for organisations to explore. Northern Ireland’s AI Reality …