Generative AI’s rapid growth moderates as users assess the technology’s potential

Generative AI’s (genAI) user growth rate in 2024 is 28.6%—still strong, but more than 30 times slower than last year’s meteoric rise of nearly 900% from a relatively small base of users.

• Despite a moderation in adoption, the technology is expected to reach 100 million US users in 2024, or 29.3% of the population. For context, Facebook took four years to reach the 100 million-user milestone. Even so, more than two-thirds of US internet users have yet to become regular users in 2024. (Note: GenAI in Google Search isn’t included in our forecast, which would otherwise show a significantly higher share of internet users exposed to the tech.)
• By 2026, 40.6% of US internet users will be genAI users. As genAI becomes more widely adopted, it’s primed to become a complementary tool for consumers and businesses, reshaping the entire digital landscape with its diverse applications and potential for enhancing productivity and creativity.

• Although user growth remains strong, the hype is subsiding. GenAI has remarkable potential, but the novelty has eased somewhat as users recognize the tech’s limitations. Among them are hallucinations, misinformation, copyright infringement, biased output, inconsistent performance, network outages, and high computing/electricity costs.

Read the full report, GenAI User Forecast 2024.