Katana Poll Explores Consumer Attitudes Toward Chatbots

For many companies, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as GPT-4 or Google Bard (now Gemini, too) are promising to "revolutionize" business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions. Few companies with a diverse customer base to support have been able to resist the lure of automated chatbots that promise to solve a large percentage of customer queries without the need for a human agent.

AI-driven chatbots are a significant technology for contact centers and other customer support operations. Why? Well, because they can handle basic and even some more complex questions, providing information and reducing the workload of live agents.

In fact, a recent study conducted by enterprise resource planning solutions startup Katana found that 94% of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) engaged in ecommerce intend to incorporate AI into their business operations in 2024.

Do customers really like AI chatbots, however?

To close in on the answer, Katana engaged in a survey to measure consumers’ opinions on the effectiveness of AI chatbots. Using Pollfish, the company asked a sizeable population of customers detailed questions about their interactions with AI tools. The survey found that about half of customers (49%) revealed that they prefer talking to a person over an AI chatbot. Results differed by demographic group, however: Millennials and Gen Zers revealed that they are more comfortable sharing information with AI compared to older generations. In addition, men are more trusting with women when it comes to sharing information with an AI chatbot, and higher-income respondents are more satisfied with AI chatbots (though they still prefer human interaction). One quarter of respondents indicated that their preferences depend on the situation and the complexity of their issue.

“Our survey reveals that there are clear differences in preference related to age, income, and gender that guide people’s interaction and openness towards AI services,” noted Katana in its report. “The main lesson business owners can take from this is - know your audience.”