AI is no longer treated like just another smartphone feature but one of the major factors that will play an important role in driving consumer buying decisions when it comes to purchasing the next device in India, according to a new report from CyberMedia Research (CMR). As per the research, the consumers are now moving away from specifications and focusing more on AI functionality, security, and transparency.Conducted through its CMR Smartphone AI Pulse 2026 report, CyberMedia Research has carried out a survey among more than 2,000 smartphone users aged 18 to 35 years in eight cities in India. The study has been conducted on how consumers come to know, use, and perceive artificial intelligence functionalities on smartphones.About The AuthorJournalist and a writer with a strong interest in news, culture, technology, and human-interest stories. Passionate about making complex topics accessible and engaging.AI becoming a key purchase considerationIt is clear from the survey that people are now considering AI while buying their next smartphones. Around 68% of the survey participants answered that AI-related features matter a lot while making the decision regarding purchase of their next smartphone. Around 82% of the participants mentioned that transparency related to the usage of data matters a lot while establishing confidence about AI experience.Performance was the first parameter that was considered while buying a smartphone, as 78% of the participants mentioned it. Following performance was the camera quality with 70% and AI with 59% of people considering it as one of the key features of a modern smartphone. This means that AI is now seen as more important than such factors as design, battery performance, and cost of a phone.In addition to this, respondents were asked to pick one of two similarly-priced smartphones. Approximately 60% of people prefer a phone combining powerful hardware and AI, and 25% of people call themselves AI-first shoppers, compared to only 15% who are interested in hardware alone.More articles by AuthorTrending StoriesPhotography remains the biggest AI use caseAI camera technologies remain the most widely employed applications of artificial intelligence in mobile phones. As per the poll, 77% of participants frequently use AI imaging technologies like low light correction, portrait editing, and scene recognition technology.Generative AI technologies are also gaining popularity among smartphone users. Approximately 71% of people stated that they use generative AI technologies multiple times per week for functions like assisted search, writing, summarization, translation, and conversation. These results indicate that a large number of people have outgrown playing with AI and are now using it on a daily basis through their smartphones.Trust and privacy remain top prioritiesAlthough adoption of artificial intelligence is increasing, consumers still consider privacy and transparency to be very important.The study discovered that 82 percent of respondents think transparent data handling could make people trust their smartphone's AI technology more. In addition, 61 percent stated that AI processing on device made smartphones more responsive and private.CMR believes that the results of the study represent a change in consumer expectations about artificial intelligence in phones.Speaking about these results, Prabhu Ram, Vice President, Industry Research Group (IRG), CyberMedia Research (CMR), said AI plays an ever growing role in defining the overall experience of using smartphones and not in being just another feature."As per our research, there has been a paradigm shift in the way Indian users perceive their smartphones. Instead of being seen as an additional feature, AI is becoming a defining factor for the overall experience of a device. Regardless of demographic and pricing parameters, the users expect their AI to be useful and intuitive and seamless part of their day-to-day interactions. Going forward, this trend will become even more prominent," he explained.AI awareness differs across user groupsThe study sheds light on the variations in AI adoption between different demographics.Out of the total respondents, 57% said they understand and make use of AI features while 43% stated that they partially utilize AI. Out of the active AI users, 49% used 5 or more AI features, 41% used AI moderately, and 10% used AI only when triggered.The study reveals that 72% of Generation Z individuals believe that AI is a key consideration for their next phone purchase whereas 65% of millennials believe the same.Use of AI also varies among different genders. The report shows that 66% of female consumers make use of AI for camera and imaging capabilities, while 42% of male consumers use AI for productivity and communication purposes.Consumers paying closer attention to smartphone chipsetsThis research indicates that consumers are becoming more aware about the significance of chipsets in providing AI experiences.About 69% of the people who participated in the research mentioned that chipsets were key facilitators for various AI features such as gaming performance, camera processing, responsiveness, and battery optimisation. The figure for Gen Z consumers stood at 83%.According to CMR, consumers have become increasingly aware of the AI hardware. This has resulted in evaluation of smartphones on the basis of the AI experience provided by various chipset platforms.The report also emphasized the significance of MediaTek in the chipset market for Indian smartphones and said that the company holds 47% share of smartphone chipsets shipped in India, as per CMR's India Mobile Handset Market Review Report. According to CMR, 93% of consumers who own MediaTek products had a good experience with their smartphones and more than 45% consumers preferred MediaTek powered devices.Sourabh Pandey, Analyst at CyberMedia Research said that smartphone industry was slowly moving from being competitive on specs to competitive on user experience."AI use cases are becoming more mature, while consumer awareness about chipsets and on-device processing becomes more advanced. The battleground will soon become experiential and not technical anymore, where the experience of AI on smartphones will be judged on the basis of trust, privacy, and utility," he added.In the CMR Smartphone AI Pulse 2026 Survey, the number of respondents used were above 2,000 smartphone users aged 18-35 years old from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi, Chennai, Jaipur, Surat, and Lucknow. Based on what the company claims, there is a 95% confidence level and ±3% margin of error for the survey. FAQsQ1. What is the CMR Smartphone AI Pulse 2026 survey?It is the CyberMedia Research poll of over 2,000 Indian smartphone users exploring consumer behavior regarding usage of AI features and impact of AI on smartphone purchase decisions.Q2. How significant is AI in smartphones purchase process?As per the survey, 68% of consumers consider AI features a significant criterion when buying their next smartphone.Q3. What AI features are most used in smartphones?Photography-related AI functions are the most widely used (77%), followed by generative AI capabilities such as search, writing and translation tools.Q4. Why does the issue of trust arise in AI smartphones?As revealed by the survey, 82% of consumers consider data transparency a critical element of trust in AI-enabled smartphone experience.Q5. How many participants took part in the CMR poll?Over 2,000 Indian smartphone users aged 18 to 35 were surveyed in eight major Indian cities.end of article