Consumer AI agents are attracting users and investors as products such as Meta’s Muse, OpenAI’s Dots, and Instinct take on everyday tasks including travel bookings, restaurant reservations, and subscription cancellations. Yet recent spending data suggests that converting widespread AI use into a profitable consumer business remains difficult because relatively few households pay for AI services and operating costs remain high.
Meta’s Muse has gained traction as a personal assistant, while OpenAI introduced Dots this week as an always-on agent that can pursue ongoing tasks. Instinct, meanwhile, recently raised $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation after building an assistant focused on completing errands for users.
Consumer Spending on AI Remains Limited
A June PNC consumer report found that 2.2% of households were paying for generative AI subscriptions in May, with subscribers spending an average of about $31 per month.
Bank of America reported similar figures in March. Its consumer AI analysis found that roughly 3% of households paid for AI services, although the number making payments had risen 38% compared with the 2024 average.
Other research presents stronger adoption among active AI users. Menlo Ventures’ 2026 State of Consumer AI estimated that 64% of US adults had used AI and 25% used it daily, while 55% of AI users paid for at least one product.
Menlo estimated global consumer AI spending at $40 billion in 2026, more than triple the previous year. However, spending was concentrated among frequent users, with the top 14% of paying customers accounting for 60% of consumer AI expenditure.
AI Companies Look Beyond Subscriptions
The economics are also shaped by the cost of operating AI systems, which require substantial computing resources compared with many earlier consumer internet products. That has encouraged major AI developers to pursue enterprise customers alongside consumer subscriptions.
OpenAI has expanded its business offerings while presenting Dots for both personal and professional workflows. Meta is also extending Muse-related technology to businesses, while its advertising operations provide another possible route for monetizing consumer AI services.
Instinct is pursuing a different model. Founder Noah Shinn has said the company plans to take a share of transactions completed through its assistant, which is already being used heavily for travel purchases.
The company recently said its platform is approaching $1 billion in annual transaction volume, with more than half related to travel. Instinct has not disclosed how many people currently use the service.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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