Consumers are increasingly willing to let artificial intelligence (AI) go beyond answering questions and start taking action on their behalf, but this willingness remains selective and uneven. New data from PYMNTS Intelligence shows significant interest in autonomous AI assistants for daily planning, although a significant share of consumers remain cautious about handing over control.
Overall, three in ten consumers say they would be interested in an autonomous AI assistant handling at least part of their daily planning, signaling early but notable demand for agentic AI in personal contexts. Data suggests that the next phase of consumer AI adoption will depend less on conversation and more on trust, task specificity and perceived value.
Interest in AI assistants is real but not universal
The data is based on a survey of 2,113 U.S. adult consumers conducted Oct. 14-29 and reveals that while enthusiasm for fully autonomous AI assistants remains far from mainstream, it is no longer niche. Around 30% of consumers express a willingness to let an AI assistant independently manage certain personal tasks, such as organizing schedules or helping with purchasing decisions. At the same time, resistance remains strong among the holdouts. About 44% of consumers who are not currently using conversational AI say they would not allow an autonomous AI agent to perform the personal tasks included in the survey.
This split highlights a defining tension in consumer adoption of AI. Curiosity and openness coexist with skepticism, especially among those who have not yet integrated conversational AI into their daily routine.
Yet the data shows that reluctance is not absolute. More than one in five conversational AI holdouts express interest in using an autonomous agent for tasks related to everyday planning, organizing, shopping or shopping, suggesting that practical use cases could attract new users to the market.
The results point to a gradual adoption curve rather than a sudden jump in generative AI adoption, as previously reported by PYMNTS. Consumers appear less interested in granting broad authority to AI and more willing to test their autonomy in bounded, familiar contexts where the benefits are clear.
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Use cases for daily planning and purchasing leads
Among consumers open to AI assistants, daily planning and commerce-related activities emerge as the most attractive use cases. Nearly a third of consumers say they would allow an AI agent to help them with daily planning and organization, making it the most cited task category overall. Purchasing follows closely, with just over 30% of respondents willing to let an AI assistant handle at least part of the process.
The other categories group slightly below but still show significant interest. About a quarter of consumers would allow an AI agent to help them write and communicate, learn and develop, or manage health and wellness information. Tasks such as planning trips and local activities or exploring entertainment and hobbies also spark the interest of about one in four consumers.
Financial tasks remain more sensitive. Only about one in five consumers would say they would allow an autonomous AI agent to manage their finances or banking, underscoring the persistent barriers to trust when money and security are at stake. Consumers remain cautious about automation in high-stakes areas, even as they become increasingly comfortable with AI elsewhere.
Notably, the data shows that the share of consumers saying they are willing to let an AI agent perform “no activity” declines sharply as familiarity with AI increases.
Power users show where adoption is going
The strongest signal of future demand comes from existing AI power users, who are those who use AI for multiple tasks. Among consumers who already use conversational AI frequently, interest in autonomous assistance is growing significantly across almost every category. About two-thirds of power users say they would let an AI agent autonomously handle some aspects of daily planning and organization, more than double the rate of the overall population.
Trade-related tasks show similar increases. Nearly six in 10 power users are open to AI-powered shopping and purchasing, while around half would allow an AI agent to help them discover what to buy, write and communicate, or explore entertainment and hobbies. Even in traditionally sensitive areas, openness is increasing. Nearly half of power users say they would allow an AI agent to help them manage their finances or banking tasks.
On the other hand, non-users remain much more skeptical. More than four in ten non-users say they would not allow an autonomous AI agent to perform any of the tasks listed, reinforcing the idea that trust and familiarity are prerequisites for adoption.
