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DidiervanH

B2C AI Adoption: Is advertising AI features a Plus or a Minus for Growth?

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I'm seeing a growing trend of B2C products actively advertising their AI features as a USP, claiming AI being the prime solution.

However, being back in my hometown for a weekend, I've heard a lot of apprehension around data privacy and a general lack of understanding "what happens in that blackbox". Nothing I hear very often back in Berlin, so demographic differences are clearly playing a big role in user receptiveness.

Transparency is crucial, no doubt. Advertising AI on platforms like producthunt or in decks for investors makes a lot of sense - that's the right audience.

But are we far enough along the AI adoption curve for "AI-powered" to be a major selling point on the customer-facing side? Or are we scaring off potential users with concerns about data usage and complexity?



Let's discuss!

  • Have you seen AI transparency hurt or help your user acquisition efforts?

  • How are you addressing user concerns about AI?

Very happy to discuss your experiences, thoughts, and stories from fellow entrepreneurs! 👇

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Aliaksandr Huretski
AI as a selling point is a double-edged sword in B2C. On one hand, it signals innovation and expertise, which can build trust among tech-savvy users (as Woojin pointed out). On the other hand, lack of transparency raises concerns, especially for mainstream consumers who may not fully understand AI (as Yan mentioned). The key takeaway from this discussion is positioning. AI should be marketed as a means to enhance user experience, not just as a feature. Consumers care about how AI makes their life easier, not the technology itself (as Kay Kwak noted). Transparency also plays a huge role. Instead of just saying "AI-powered," companies should clearly communicate how AI works and benefits users, while addressing privacy concerns upfront (as Sree and Kenny highlighted). It’s clear that context matters—in investor decks and tech communities, AI can be a strong USP. But in mainstream markets, it should be framed around practical benefits and usability rather than just the buzzword. Curious to hear—what messaging strategies have worked best for those using AI in consumer products?
Abhimanyu Kapoor

i think current can be a harm because people kinda i see are developing a mind set that if it uses AI maybe better off creating something my own with open source model mostly with companies that have small teams or big teams think like that. But solo founder or 2 person team are happy to use AI product the most i have seen for their stuff. But thats what i have seen. Like i am launching my own thing. I am curious as i mentioned AI in it what do you think about it?

Ruban Phukan

Great question.. I think the real issue isn’t AI itself, it’s how it’s introduced.

Some tools treat AI like a behind-the-scenes engine. But when you're building something like an Executive Assistant, the AI has to be present, visible, and trustworthy..because it’s handling communication workflows that people care about.

We’re building an AI EA that automates things like email triage, follow-ups, and meeting prep and users actually want to see what it’s doing.

So to me, it’s not about hiding the AI.. it’s about making sure it behaves like a thoughtful assistant, not a black box.

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