Artificial intelligence has long been more than just a technological novelty. Today, it is integrated into everything, be it banking apps or various programs. But here’s the paradox: although AI has taken over the market, customers don’t care if your product has AI. How did this happen? Why do companies spend millions developing AI features but fail to get the expected explosive growth? Let’s find out.

When marketers write: “Our product is based on artificial intelligence”, they believe that this is exactly what customers need. But research shows the opposite. People perceive this approach as noise. Instead of inspiring trust, the “AI-powered” slogan often works against you. It’s not just the market overloaded with AI promises, but also the usual skepticism. People have already seen dozens of smart products that promised to revolutionize the market, but in fact, only confused them or required additional costs.

One of the main problems is that artificial intelligence is no longer something unique. Once upon a time, companies could boast that their product used machine learning and it sounded like something magical. However, now that artificial intelligence is even in photo filters and chatbots, simply mentioning it is no longer enough. Moreover, many users simply don’t understand what exactly artificial intelligence does in a product. If the technology doesn’t change the process of using the product for the better and doesn’t produce tangible results, they simply don’t need it.

The experiment

To prove this theory, Irrational Labs experimented: they divided 767 participants into two groups. One group was shown marketing pages for products with a clear emphasis on artificial intelligence, and the other group was shown the same products but without any mention of AI, instead focusing on benefits and functionality. 

The results were unexpected: products without a mention of AI received more positive reviews, higher performance scores, and even an increase in willingness to buy. Interestingly, in the one exceptional case where the mention of artificial intelligence worked, it was a Superhuman product, which itself hints at extraordinary capabilities.

So what does it work out to be? Artificial intelligence alone doesn’t add value if the client doesn’t understand what it’s helping with. People don’t want an “AI solution”: they want a specific result: faster work, better design, smarter planning. In 2001, Apple didn’t advertise the iPod by saying, “This is a 5GB memory”. They said: “1000 songs in your pocket”. That’s what works.

How to sell AI without the word “AI”

Let’s see how this strategy is implemented in large companies. Canva doesn’t say: “Our Magic Design feature uses advanced AI”. They explain that a user can create a beautiful layout in just 10 seconds. GitHub Copilot doesn’t tell you how its algorithms analyze code but simply states: “Programmers write code 55% faster”. This is not just a change in wording – it’s a fundamentally different approach that focuses not on how the technology works, but on what it gives to people.

Another effective way to make users appreciate artificial intelligence is to let them experience its benefits before asking them to pay. This is called the ownership effect. Grammarly, for example, allows users to correct mistakes for free, and only after people get used to the convenience of this service do they get offered premium features. 

People value what they are already using, not what they are trying to sell them from the first seconds.

What should you do in this situation?

But what if avoiding the word “AI” is not always an option? Then you need to use it correctly. The best example is Google Lens. Google does not emphasize that it is an AI product. Instead, they say: “Just point the camera at an object and get information”. Yes, there is indeed artificial intelligence here, but it is not the main character: the main character is the user and their needs.

It turns out that instead of relying on the word “artificial intelligence”, companies should think about how to make their product easier, faster, and more useful for people. When people evaluate your product, they don’t ask themselves: “Is this AI or not?” They ask: “Will it help me?” And if the answer is yes, then they don’t care what algorithm provides it.

Therefore, the real value comes from the problems it solves and the new opportunities it opens up. When your product becomes indispensable, it doesn’t need fancy labels to stand out.

Source: 

Irrational Labs, published in the blog by Kyle Poyar: “Customers don’t care about your AI feature”