Majority of U.S. Adults Have Never Used AI Chatbots

New survey data reveals significant consumer resistance to AI tools driven by privacy and accuracy concerns.

Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Bold vector editorial illustration featuring a large geometric block beside a smaller fragmented shape, illustrating a divide in consumer technology adoption. — A recent Pew Research Center analysis reveals that 51% of U.S. adults have never interacted with an AI chatbot, citing privacy and accuracy as primary concerns. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you trust AI chatbots enough to use them for your own tasks and information?

A recent analysis from the Pew Research Center indicates that 51% of U.S. adults have never used an AI chatbot. The study, conducted via a nationally representative panel, highlights broad hesitation among non-users regarding the technology.

Why it matters

The findings underscore a persistent divide in AI adoption, with substantial portions of the population citing lack of interest or concerns over privacy as barriers to entry. These results suggest that mainstream integration faces significant friction despite rapid industry development.

Among non-users, 60% cite a lack of interest, while 54% point to privacy concerns and 45% express doubts about AI accuracy. The study carried a margin of sampling error of 1.6 percentage points.

The players

Pew Research Center

A nonpartisan fact tank that provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends through large-scale quantitative research.

The details

The survey utilized both online and live telephone interviews to reach 5,119 participants across the United States. Researchers recruited these individuals through a randomly selected, nationally representative panel to ensure accuracy. Data points indicate that 77% of adults aged 65 and older have never used a chatbot, compared to 34% of adults in the 18 to 29 age bracket.

February 17-23, 2026: Pew Research Center conducted the participant survey.
June 2026: Pew released a broader study related to AI adoption trends.
October 2026: Pew published the finalized AI chatbot usage analysis.

The Tech Race

This analysis provides a vital reality check on the rapid deployment of generative AI tools across the consumer landscape. It contrasts sharply with industry-wide acceleration efforts by grounding the trajectory in documented public sentiment.

While chatbots are increasingly integrated into enterprise workflows, the data suggests that half of the population currently finds no practical utility for them. The barrier remains primarily psychological and risk-based, suggesting that widespread adoption depends on addressing privacy and accuracy trust gaps.

The takeaway

The gap between rapid AI advancement and public adoption is significant, with privacy concerns remaining a primary deterrent. Observers should track subsequent Pew data in 2027 to see if improvements in trust and accuracy metrics shift the current 67% non-adoption projection.

What happens next

Approximately 67% of non-users indicated they are unlikely to adopt AI chatbot technology within the next 12 months, a trend that warrants future follow-up studies to track potential shifts in sentiment.