Observed Signal · Nov 2, 2026 · Corporate Update · Source: Attest · Impact: 2/5
Why gen AI is the only subscription category still growing
According to research published by Attest, generative AI is the only subscription category out of ten tracked that grew in both the US and the UK over the past year. In the US, paying consumers increased from 18% to 19.5%, while in the UK, adoption rose from 15% to 20%. Overall, approximately 90% of consumers use an AI assistant, with ChatGPT being used by 89.5% of paying AI subscribers.
The findings highlight consumer willingness to monetize generative AI tools over traditional entertainment, fitness, or media subscriptions, signaling strong recurring consumer software spend for AI platforms.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Gen AI subscription adoption grew from 18% to 19.5% in the US and from 15% to 20% in the UK, while the other nine tracked categories declined.
- 90% of consumers report using an AI assistant, primarily for asking questions (65%), writing/editing (41%), and work/study (34%).
- Consumers who pay for gen AI subscriptions use an average of 3.11 different AI assistants per month, compared to 1.60 for non-paying users.
- ChatGPT is used by 89.5% of paid AI subscribers and leads monthly consumer usage overall at 56% across both markets (63% UK, 48% US).
Connected Companies & Entities
“Consumer research platform that conducted and published the subscription spend and generative AI study across the US and UK.”
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
2026: The State of Consumer AI
In 2026, consumer AI is going deep. We estimate consumer AI spend has reached $40 billion, more than triple what we measured a year ago. Most of that growth did not come from new users, as overall adoption rose just three points, from 61% to 64% of U.S. adults. Instead, growth came from existing users doing more with AI.
Consumers Warm to Agentic AI Purchases
A new RTB House survey of more than 1,800 consumers across the U.S., U.K., Japan and France finds growing consumer openness to agentic AI handling purchases, while many still want human oversight. In the U.S., respondents said AI tools broaden options and help discover brands; 42% said AI extends decision time and 59% credited AI with highlighting brands they didn’t know. Some consumers — especially older cohorts — prefer a human to review transactions before an AI agent completes purchases. The article also cites Amazon CEO Andy Jassy saying 350+ million customers used Alexa for Shopping in the past year and notes McKinsey & ICSC project U.S. agentic commerce could reach $1 trillion by 2030.
Southeast Asia AI Adoption Booms, Monetization Shifts Beyond Subscriptions
Southeast Asia's generative AI adoption has reached 243 million users in less than three years, according to the annual e-Conomy SEA report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company. Despite rapid adoption, only 1-2% of the population pays for personal AI subscriptions, highlighting a gap. Businesses are monetizing AI through e-commerce, digital advertising, and customer service, with companies like Shopee handling 80% of queries via AI chatbots. The region's digital economy is projected to grow 17% to $368 billion in GMV this year, expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2035. AI is boosting ad click-through rates and conversions, and 75% of users are willing to let AI agents make purchases. However, usage per person remains at 10% of U.S. levels.
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