Brands race ahead with AI, but are consumers on the same page? 

In the race to embrace AI, brands are sprinting—but are they leaving their consumers behind? A recent study from Reddit, conducted in collaboration with WPP and GroupM, highlights a revealing disconnect between how industry experts and everyday users perceive AI. 

While marketers are busy building smarter campaigns, consumers are still figuring out whether AI helps or manipulates them, finds the study. 

Only a few recognise they are interacting with AI

AI tools are increasingly embedded in our everyday experiences, from personalised ads to automated customer service. But here’s the twist: only 17% of consumers in the study say they can recognise when they’re interacting with AI. That’s a startling gap in awareness—and a signal that brands may be overestimating their audience’s familiarity and trust in the technology.

According to Elav Horwitz, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships and Solutions at WPP, “There’s a profound need for brands to meet users where they are—not where we assume they are. It’s about translating the promise of AI into relatable, transparent utility.”

The Trust Deficit

Consumers aren’t rejecting AI—but they are questioning it. In the study, users expressed fears around misinformation, loss of critical thinking, and the subtle influence of algorithmic bias. A majority (57%) cited misinformation in education as a top concern.

This presents a powerful opportunity: brands can lead by educating, not just innovating. Over 74% of users in the study say they want brands to demystify AI—explain how it works, how their data is used, and what’s in it for them.

What brands must do

Move from functionality to clarity. Transparency must be designed into every AI-powered touchpoint. AI isn’t just a tool—it’s becoming a lifestyle layer. Consumers are using it to search faster, make quicker decisions, and personalise their digital experiences. In this role, AI starts to resemble something powerful: an always-available influencer that doesn’t sleep. But trust hasn’t caught up with convenience. Many users still wonder: Who trained this model? Who’s pulling the strings?

Give AI a face—and a conscience. Consumers will trust AI more when they can understand its reasoning and feel they have agency over the outcomes.

Confusion, not Fear

Contrary to common belief, fear isn’t what’s holding people back—it’s the fog of confusion. Most users aren’t resisting AI out of anxiety; they simply don’t see how it clearly helps them.

Once consumers see real benefits—time saved, choices simplified, creativity unlocked—their hesitance drops. What they want is clarity, ease, and a sense that they’re still in control.

What brands must do:

Show how AI helps, not just that it exists. If it solves a problem or simplifies a choice, say so—plainly.

Creativity is still Human

Perhaps the most surprising finding: consumers don’t want AI to replace creativity—they want it to enhance it. Whether it’s planning a trip or designing a logo, users are looking for collaborative tools, not cold automation.

73% of users who engage with AI say they want brands to show how it can unlock human creativity—not override it.

What brands must do:

Position AI as the spark, not the storyteller. Empower users with tools that suggest, adapt, and assist—without stealing the spotlight.

The Path Forward

AI is here to stay—but it’s still being defined. And brands have a narrow window to shape that narrative. The Reddit-WPP-GroupM study makes it clear: consumers want education, clarity, and creative collaboration.

To lead in the AI era, brands must go beyond building cool tools—they must build trust. That starts with three principles:

Educate simply: No jargon, no mystery. Just clear, helpful guidance.

Explain transparently: Show what powers your AI, and what it’s doing behind the scenes.

Empower creatively: Let users play, tweak, and co-create. AI should enhance human agency, not erase it.

As Horwitz puts it, “AI should be a bridge—not a barrier—between brands and people.”