Commentary How to Optimize GenAI Strategy For 4 Key Consumer Mindsets

 

Commentary

How To Optimize GenAI Strategy For 4 Key Consumer Mindsets

• by Kate Muhl , March 7, 2025

In just a handful of years, GenAI has emerged as a transformative force in marketing, promising to revolutionize how brands interact with consumers. With 74% of B2C marketing leaders anticipating a positive impact from GenAI, the technology is poised to dramatically enhance time and cost efficiency.

However, as brands increasingly integrate GenAI into their strategies, they face a complex landscape of consumer sentiment. While some consumers are eager to embrace the advancements GenAI offers, others remain deeply skeptical, with 58% expressing concerns that the risks of artificial intelligence outweigh its benefits. Moreover, an equal percentage of consumers prefer to engage with brands that refrain from using GenAI in their messaging and communications.

How can CMOs harness the benefits of GenAI without alienating a substantial portion of their audience? The answer lies in recognizing the diversity of consumer perspectives and tailoring strategies to meet these varied expectations.

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To navigate this complex terrain, CMOs must first understand that consumers are not monolithic when it comes to GenAI. Gartner research has identified four distinct consumer mindsets—Enthusiasts, Pragmatists, Passives, and Rejectors—each with unique attitudes and concerns regarding the technology. By developing targeted GenAI strategies that address these specific mindsets, brands can optimize their approach, ensuring that their use of AI resonates positively with their audience and mitigates the risk of backlash.

GenAI Enthusiasts embrace the personal and societal benefits of GenAI, with demographics skewing younger, male, educated, and high-income. They represent one fifth of consumers. Brands targeting this group can boldly embrace GenAI, as these consumers are open to AI-driven content creation. Connect with Enthusiasts by emphasizing and demonstrating your organization’s commitment to innovation in creative and messaging.

GenAI Pragmatists are ambivalent, but recognize GenAI's utility for work and productivity. This group, representing a plurality of consumers -- nearly 40% -- has a more even gender split and needs to see personal benefits to fully embrace GenAI. Connect with Pragmatists by emphasizing individual productivity gains and demonstrating the way your organization’s use of the technology benefits employees and customers (rather than just the company’s bottom line) in creative and messaging.

GenAI Passives represent one fifth of consumers, often older women, who are skeptical about GenAI's value and its personal impact. In addition, they typically do not use GenAI at work. Because Passives are uneasy about GenAI, to engage this group, brands should employ reassuring creative and messaging that demonstrates how GenAI supports customers without putting jobs at risk.

GenAI Rejectors deeply distrust the technology. Representing less than 15% of consumers, they are more likely to be older men and are unlikely to change their negative view of GenAI. Therefore, brands that must connect with these consumers, but also need to incorporate GenAI into business processes, have a delicate balance to strike. Acknowledge and respect Rejectors’ skepticism. Prioritize GenAI initiatives that optimize internal processes over consumer-facing applications. Emphasize the importance your organization places on humans over tech.

By identifying and understanding these four consumer mindsets, brands can tailor their GenAI strategies to align with their target audiences' values and concerns. This approach not only mitigates the risk of consumer pushback but also enhances brand reputation and loyalty.