Could AI features shape the UK smartphone market?

Generative AI has begun reshaping the way people interact with the internet and how people go about their jobs – both professional and otherwise, but does that make it a determinant in smartphone choices yet? Not necessarily, shows YouGov research conducted via YouGov Surveys.

Only 7% of Brits with smartphone indicate that AI features would be very important when they set out to make their next smartphone purchase. Another one in seven say they would regard AI features as being fairly important (15%). Overall, 72% say that AI features would be an unimportant factor when choosing their next smartphone.

But smartphone makers may still want to emphasise AI their product marketing because of importance it holds among a important demographic – youngsters. Among those aged 18-34, nearly a fifth of this cohort says AI is very important and a quarter state that it is fairly important. The rates of importance granted to AI as a determinant in smartphone choices diminish linearly with age.

But which AI powered features are consumers most keen on?

Photo and video editing tools are the most popular AI-powered smartphone feature, with nearly a third of all respondents (29%) intending to use them. Young users aged 18-34 show the highest interest, with 36% indicating an intention to use such tools, making this the top choice for their demographic. Other features like voice assistants (26%) and visual search tools (26%) also attract notable interest across age groups, although interest diminishes among older users.

In older age groups, there’s less interest in the use of AI-powered features, with 31% of respondents aged 55+ indicate they don’t plan to use any AI-powered smartphone features, a considerably higher rate than the 17% among 18-34-year-olds. Additionally, a significant portion of the older demographic is undecided, with 26% of those aged 55+ responding “don’t know,” which may reflect unfamiliarity or scepticism towards these technologies.

For smartphone manufacturers, this data suggests an opportunity to target younger audiences by spotlighting advanced AI features in marketing campaigns, particularly those related to photo and video capabilities. For older demographics, emphasising the optional nature of AI features or providing educational resources could help address their hesitations or knowledge gaps.

Advanced AI features cannot come at the expense of core phone communication features

The data shows that British consumers prioritise reliable connectivity over new AI features, with a striking 87% of respondents valuing a good signal more than AI capabilities. This preference is even stronger among older age groups, with 90% of those aged 55+ agreeing, compared to 81% among 18-34-year-olds.

Concerns over privacy are also prominent, with 73% agreeing that AI on smartphones may serve as a data-collection tool for companies. Privacy apprehensions are highest among the 55+ demographic (77%), suggesting that older users may be more sceptical of AI’s intentions.

Interestingly, while younger respondents (18-34) tend to be more enthusiastic about AI’s potential to save time (65%), there’s a significant drop in agreement among those aged 55+ (26%). Additionally, a large proportion of the older demographic (61%) simply dislikes the idea of AI on their smartphones, indicating a cultural or generational hesitation toward AI.

Battery life is another important consideration, with 48% of respondents concerned that AI features will drain their batteries—especially pronounced among 35-54-year-olds (56%). Furthermore, 49% overall see AI features as a “waste of time,” with the older segment (55+) being the most dismissive at 53%.

Overall, while younger consumers are more open to AI’s utility, older users prioritise practical concerns like signal quality and battery life, and are more sceptical about AI’s purpose and impact. For manufacturers, balancing the integration of AI with clear benefits that address these concerns, especially regarding privacy and battery usage, may resonate better across age groups.