The AI Universe Before the Storm: Consumer Uptake Trends on the Eve of DeepSeek

The world of AI is moving at a breakneck pace. Just days ago, the release of DeepSeek sent shockwaves through the financial markets, disrupting established players and democratizing access to powerful AI tools. But what was the landscape like before this seismic shift?
Our January 2025 consumer study, involving over 2,900 US consumers aged 13 and above, provides a fascinating snapshot of AI adoption just before DeepSeek’s arrival. While we allowed our respondents to name more than one response, we asked them to name only the AI platform(s) they’d used regularly over the past six months.
Before we dive into the specifics, it’s important to understand the context of this part of our study. We focused on branded AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Character AI—distinct products with their own brand identity and user interface. These platforms are actively chosen by users seeking specific AI capabilities. This differs from embedded AI tools like Microsoft Copilot, Amazon Q (for businesses), Rufus (for shopping), or Siri, which are seamlessly integrated into existing services. This sets a crucial baseline for understanding how the AI landscape may evolve with the rise of open-source models like DeepSeek and the increasing prevalence of embedded AI.
Key Takeaways:
ChatGPT and Google Gemini Dominated: Unsurprisingly, ChatGPT and Google Gemini were the leading AI tools across demographics. Gen Z and Millennials led the charge, with ChatGPT capturing 38% and 36% of these groups respectively. Google Gemini followed closely, proving popular with Millennials (32%) and Gen X (30%). This highlights the early success of these platforms in establishing mindshare and user familiarity.
All Platforms: ChatGPT (38% Gen Z, 36% Millennials), Google Gemini (21% Gen Z, 32% Millennials), Amazon AI tools (12% Gen Z, 18% Millennials), Character AI (16% Gen Z, 14% Millennials), Perplexity AI (7% Gen Z, 6% Millennials), Jasper (4% Gen Z, 5% Millennials), Poe by Quora (5% Gen Z, 4% Millennials), Grok (4% Gen Z, 7% Millennials), Did not use AI (35% Gen Z, 41% Millennials).
An Age Divide: A clear generational gap emerged in AI platform adoption. Gen Z and Millennials were the most engaged, while Boomers (81%) reported minimal AI platform usage. Gen X fell somewhere in between, with 54% not using AI. This suggests that comfort with technology and awareness of AI’s potential use cases play a significant role in adoption.
Within Gen X, the skew toward Google Gemini is notable, with 30% of respondents reporting usage. This positions Gemini as the most widely adopted AI platform for this generation, even surpassing ChatGPT (23%), indicating Gemini’s strong appeal to middle-aged professionals likely to use it for productivity and work-related applications.
Men Outpaced Women: Across all major AI categories, men reported higher usage than women. This gap was particularly pronounced for Perplexity AI (6% vs. 2%) and ChatGPT (33% vs. 22%). This finding underscores the need for the AI industry to focus on inclusivity and ensure that AI tools are accessible and relevant to all genders.
Gen Z Embraced Character AI: While Character AI had lower overall adoption (9%), it resonated strongly with Gen Z (16%). This suggests that AI-driven entertainment and chatbot interactions hold particular appeal for younger users.
Amazon AI Found a Niche: Amazon AI tools saw higher adoption among Millennials (18%) and Gen X (13%), likely due to their integration with existing Amazon services like shopping and workplace productivity tools. This demonstrates the potential for AI to gain traction when embedded in familiar platforms.
The DeepSeek Disruption:
It’s crucial to view these findings in the context of DeepSeek’s recent launch. This open-source AI model has the potential to reshape the AI landscape due to its lower cost and accessibility. While our study predates DeepSeek, early indicators suggest rapid adoption. DeepSeek’s AI assistant became the most downloaded free app on Apple’s iPhone store in the United States, surpassing OpenAI’s ChatGPT in its first weekend of release.
Looking Ahead:
This NuVoodoo study provides a solid benchmark for future trending of branded AI platform affinity, but the adoption curve is dynamic. In additional updates from this study, as well as future research, we’ll consider:
The Impact of DeepSeek: How will DeepSeek’s rise and open source AI in general affect the market share of established players? Will it drive AI adoption among demographics previously less engaged?
The Rise of Open Source: With DeepSeek and other open-source models gaining traction, how will this impact the development and adoption of AI?
Embedded AI: As AI becomes increasingly integrated into existing platforms and services (like Microsoft Copilot in Windows and Office), how will this influence user behavior and brand preference?
Impact on Work: What impact AI has on jobs and employment opportunities?
The Psychological Impact: The acceleration of tech development profoundly impacts daily life, making it difficult to keep up. How does this impact consumers’ emotional state? Will digital fatigue incite new trends (and business opportunities) that steer certain demographics away from tech overuse?
The AI revolution is just beginning.
NuVoodoo leverages AI ad tech to optimize budgets and manage digital campaigns for clients. Our ongoing consumer insights keep our partners a step ahead of their competition. Email us to see more study data and learn how we can add value to your business. TellMeMore@NuVoodoo.com