India, July 13 -- Artificial intelligence is no longer just another feature on a smartphone. According to the latest CMR smartphone study, it is becoming one of the biggest reasons people choose one device over another. The research suggests buyers now care as much about useful AI experiences as they do about performance and camera quality, marking a shift in how smartphones are evaluated.

The CMR Smartphone AI Pulse 2026 surveyed more than 2,000 smartphone users aged 18-35 across eight Indian cities. The findings show that AI has moved beyond novelty and into daily routines. While 57% of consumers actively understand and use AI features, another 43% engage with them only partially, leaving room for broader adoption.

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