A handful of American households pay for AI. Is the future free — or a subscription?

NPR
A woman uses a laptop as she lies on the grass in a park in the Manhattan borough of New York City on April 24, 2026.

Just 3% of U.S. households pay for AI for personal use. Sign ups are growing — even though Americans have subscription fatigue.

(Image credit: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU)

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