Unlocking consumers’ willingness to pay for AI

Admin
Aug 06, 2026

By Mutiara Nuralita and Ivan Adi Winata

AI users are everywhere, but paid AI users are not

Most people may have already tried AI, but convincing them to pay is another story. To understand why, Cimigo conducted a study in May and June 2026 involving 276 respondents.

AI is becoming part of everyday life. Yet one question remains: when do users decide it’s worth paying for? Among consumers who already use AI, only around 21% have ever subscribed to a paid AI service.

AI adoption and subscription status


Paid AI adoption is centred around practical value

Productivity AI is by far the most widely used category among Indonesian consumers, followed by translation AI. This pattern shifts when it comes to paid subscriptions. While productivity AI remains the leading paid category, creative AI overtakes translation AI, with Canva AI and CapCut emerging as the most popular premium creative tools. ChatGPT continues to dominate the productivity AI category.

This is reinforced by the reasons people subscribe: they are looking for unlimited use, greater efficiency and more advanced capabilities rather than simply paying for AI itself.

AI subscribed vs not subscribed


People are not rejecting paid AI, they are still weighing its value

When we looked at consumers who have never subscribed to paid AI, one thing immediately stood out. Interestingly, the barriers and motivations almost mirror each other. The common thread is clear: people need a stronger reason to see the value of premium AI.

For AI providers, this means the challenge is not just getting people to try AI, it is helping them understand why upgrading is worthwhile. Three priorities stand out from the data:

  • Premium features need to solve real productivity needs, not simply offer more AI capabilities.
  • Price still matters, but only when the value clearly justifies the cost. Consumers are looking for better value, not simply lower prices.
  • Trust remains an important factor, with stronger data security and privacy protection continuing to influence willingness to subscribe.
AI subscription triggers and barriers


The goal is to make premium worth choosing, not to replace free AI

Our findings suggest that free AI is not the problem. In fact, it remains an important part of how people discover and build habits around AI. The challenge is not simply deciding which features belong behind a paywall, it is finding the right balance between what should remain free and what creates enough value to justify an upgrade. How premium is communicated may matter just as much as what it offers.

AI subscription way forward


What actually makes people willing to pay?

Interestingly, consumers rarely describe premium AI in terms of features. Instead, they talk about outcomes such as, saving time, working more efficiently and achieving better results. This suggests that premium offerings are more compelling when they’re communicated through the value they create, rather than the features they include.

What creates that value, however, won’t be the same for every product or every audience. Understanding where users begin to see premium as worthwhile is exactly the kind of question customer research is designed to answer.

Unlocking consumers’ willingness to pay for AI

Aug 06, 2026

By Mutiara Nuralita and Ivan Adi Winata AI users are everywhere, but paid AI users are not Most

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