["International Journal of Consumer Studies, Volume 50, Issue 3, April 2026. ", "\nABSTRACT\nConversational AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are changing how people seek information, support, and advice; however, users still interact with them in different ways. This study examines consumer heterogeneity in conversational AI engagement through a cluster analysis of 391 North American participants. The study identifies three distinct user segments: Confident Individual Adopters, Hesitant Pragmatists, and Socially‐Driven Tech Enthusiasts. The segments differ in evaluations and in how positive and negative beliefs co‐occur, especially around anxiety, trust, privacy, and social influence. These results suggest that conversational AI adoption is not a simple spectrum. Instead, users fall into distinct groups shaped by different motivations, concerns, and expectations. These findings contribute to consumer behavior research by showing how a segmentation lens clarifies psychological heterogeneity in AI interactions and offers practical guidance for tailoring design and communication strategies across user groups.\n"]