How do consumers feel about AI copywriting?

AI-generated content is literally everywhere, but how do people actually feel about it? Are they impressed, skeptical, or just indifferent?

We did some research and TL;DR — consumer opinions are all over the place.

The good: AI copywriting is fast, persuasive, and (sometimes) better than human writing

A lot of people don’t mind AI-generated content… as long as it’s genuinely useful. In fact, according to an MIT study, when readers were shown an article without knowing if a human or AI wrote it, 56% actually preferred the AI version.

So why are people warming up to AI-generated copy?

• It’s fast and efficient – According to Salesforce, nearly half of U.S. consumers (49%) now use AI tools to help them research purchases, and 45% say they trust AI-generated information. AI can churn out content quickly, which is great for businesses and consumers alike.

• It can actually be pretty creative – A HubSpot survey found that 38% of consumers believe AI can make advertising more creative. It can generate fresh ideas, write catchy ad copy, and even personalize messages based on what we like.

• Younger audiences are more open to it – Gen Z and millennials are leading the charge in AI adoption. According to McKinsey, 84% of Gen Z use at least one AI tool regularly. They don’t seem to care much whether content is AI-generated — as long as it’s good.

• AI-powered content can be persuasive – AI is surprisingly good at writing compelling copy. A study by Nielsen found that when AI-generated marketing copy was tested against human-written versions, both performed about the same in terms of engagement and persuasion.

The skepticism

While AI-generated content is gaining traction, many consumers remain skeptical, mainly because of trust and authenticity concerns. People want to know that real experience, not just machine-generated text, is behind what they’re reading. Transparency plays a big role in shaping trust. When brands openly disclose AI-generated content, trust tends to increase. But when AI authorship isn’t clear, skepticism rises.

Misinformation is another key concern. With AI’s ability to generate convincing but sometimes misleading content, consumers worry about distinguishing real from fake. Additionally, while AI is great at producing content quickly, many find that it often lacks originality and can feel formulaic, particularly on social media.

Do people actually engage with AI copywriting?

It depends. AI-generated content can be just as engaging as human-written material as long as readers don’t know it’s AI. Studies suggest that when people are unaware of an article’s authorship, they often rate AI-written content as equally engaging. However, once they find out it was AI-generated, engagement tends to drop.

This reaction isn’t necessarily about the content itself but about perception. On social media, for example, people value authenticity and personal connection, so AI-generated posts often feel impersonal. Similarly, AI-written product reviews lack the real-world experience that consumers look for when making purchasing decisions.

Ultimately, AI content can be effective, but it works best when it feels human, adds value, and doesn’t come across as robotic or purely automated.

AI copywriting is here to stay, but people want balance

Trust is growing but remains limited. Forbes reports that while trust in AI-generated content has increased from 40% to 45% in just one year, only 17% of people trust it completely.

Meanwhile, the marketing industry is moving faster than consumers. According to McKinsey, nearly 8 in 10 advertisers are excited about AI copywriting, but only 3 in 10 consumers feel the same way. This gap suggests that while businesses see AI as a valuable tool, they need to be mindful of how audiences perceive and engage with AI-driven content.

So, what does this mean for brands? AI should enhance human creativity, not replace it. Consumers appreciate AI’s efficiency, but they still very much value authenticity and transparency.

Our advice: Think of AI as one of your best employees. Assign it tasks and trust that it will perform them well, but remember that at the end of the day, it’s you who has to review, approve, and be proud of the quality of work you’re creating. And that will always come down to balance.