Companies are emphasizing service innovation driven by artificial intelligence (AI). From search and recommendations to chatbots, autocomplete, and task automation, AI is rapidly spreading across nearly all areas of digital services. But do users prioritize AI when evaluating service quality? Survey results reveal a surprisingly clear answer. While AI has become an indispensable element of services, the primary criteria for assessing good service remain stability, convenience, and speed.
A recent analysis of 13,100 responses across 20 sectors from the 2026 Digital Consumer Experience Index (DCXI) survey conducted by the Korean Standards Association, where I serve as an advisory committee member, found that the most important factor in judging the quality of app and web services is 'normal operation of basic functions and service stability.' This was the top choice for 27.7% of respondents. 'Intuitive and clean screen design (UI/UX)' followed at 26.0%, and 'fast response speed and high accuracy' was chosen by 20.6%. In contrast, only 11.6% selected 'AI-based personalized features' as their top priority, the lowest among five factors.
The same trend emerged when combining first and second choices. Responses favoring stability and UI/UX accounted for 49.8%, while speed and accuracy garnered 48.2%. Security and privacy protection were chosen by 30.5%, and AI-based personalized features received 21.8%. This indicates that the innovation users desire starts from experiences that operate without errors, are easy to understand, and respond quickly, rather than flashy features.
However, this does not mean users undervalue AI. When asked if 'AI features are fundamentally integrated into today's digital services,' 82.5% selected scores between 5 and 7 on a 7-point scale. Additionally, 67.2% agreed that their satisfaction would significantly decrease if AI features like recommendations, autocomplete, chatbots, and personalized searches were removed from the services they currently use.
These two results clarify user perceptions. AI is becoming a 'basic infrastructure' that users notice when it is absent, rather than the sole reason for choosing a service. Much like the communication function of a smartphone, its presence often goes unnoticed, but when it fails, the value of the service drops sharply.
There is also a shift in how terms are perceived. About 78.7% of respondents indicated they distinguish between 'digital services' and 'AI-based services.' Furthermore, 46.2% felt that the phrase 'provides AI-based customer experience (AX)' sounds more innovative than 'continuously improves digital experience (DX),' which was chosen by 39.0%, indicating that the term AX has a certain effect in conveying a sense of advanced service.
However, companies must be cautious. The declaration of 'using AI' does not equate to the service innovation felt by users. Even if AI is prominently featured, if the service is slow, prone to errors, or presents a complicated interface with privacy concerns, it will struggle to receive positive evaluations. What users want is not the number of AI features but how seamlessly AI reduces existing inconveniences.
Therefore, companies' AX strategies should focus on the extent of improvement in customer experience rather than the number of technologies implemented. If a chatbot is introduced, it should be measured whether the connection time for consultations has actually decreased; if personalized recommendations are provided, whether the exploration process has become simpler; and if automation is applied, whether errors and repetitive inputs have decreased. At the same time, companies should explain to users how AI utilizes information and the criteria for presenting results.
In the AI era, competitiveness does not solely arise from showcasing the most advanced features. Innovation is achieved when AI connects stability, usability, speed, accuracy, and security to create a better experience. The question companies should now ask is not, 'Does our service have AI?' but rather, 'Are users achieving their goals more easily, quickly, and safely thanks to AI?'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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