While most people in industry are looking at 2024 with anything ranging from uncertainty to trepidation, consumers are surprisingly optimistic.Not that they think 2024 will be their ‘best year ever’, but many feel that we’ve turned the corner on the issues that have dragged us down for the past 4 years.“The world is still pretty downbeat, but we seem to be on track for getting back to more typical levels of sentiment about the present and the immediate future,” said research company Ipsos in a recent report.While the pandemic is no longer an issue, geopolitical issues are certainly rising. And there is a certain amount of concern about the impact that AI might have on jobs.Still, according to a recent global survey from Ipsos, these issues are weighing less heavily than expected on how the global public feels about life.The survey polled 25,292 adults in 34 countries around the world to determine consumers’ outlook for the coming year. Opportunities for Brands & Retailers: Consumers are very wary about scams, being ripped off and otherwise falling victim to businesses that might be taking advantage of them. To win, be that 'trusted brand or retailer' that consumers feel has their best interests at heart.Moving UpOverall, optimism for the coming year appears to be on the rise, with 70% thinking 2024 will be a better year than 2023. However, 53% said that 2023 was a bad year for themselves and their families.According to Ipsos, this year's figure hopefully signals optimism heading back to the levels more typically seen over the past decade when it has fluctuated only very marginally between 75%-80%. Overall, improvement in optimism is the greatest among countries in Europe, particularly in Poland, Spain, Great Britain (11 points higher) and Sweden (12 points higher), mirroring the signs of economic recovery observed in Europe in 2023.Further, 50% expect the global economy will be stronger in 2024 than it was in 2023.Confidence in a stronger global economy outlook persists in emerging markets such as Indonesia, India, China and Mexico, where over 80% states the global economy will be stronger in 2024. It’s The EconomyThe biggest concern for most consumers is the economy. At least 70% expect both inflation and interest rates in their country to be higher in 2024 than 2023. As we head into 2024, headline inflation has started to come down in many countries during the first half of 2023, although core inflation hasn’t significantly slowed, per Ipsos.Although headline inflation has fallen during 2023, core inflation in many countries remains high. Inflation and interest rates could prove to be more persistent than expected, which could drag down consumer sentiment as the year progresses.AI: Wonder vs WorryPublic opinion is divided regarding whether AI might result in positive or negative changes, though the worry about AI currently outweighs the wonder, said Ipsos.On the positive side, 56% expect doctors to regularly use AI, up by 18-percentage points from 38% since 2019, and 43% expect AI to lead to jobs being created. However, globally 64% expect AI to lead to job losses.Not surprisingly, countries in Asia, known for their tech-driven growth, remain undecided about AI, whereas more consumers in the West fear it will result in job loss.Less Social, Less SecureAbout 41% expect to use social media less. This has increased by a 13-percentage point from 28% in 2019. Still, 49% of consumers don’t plan to cut back their use of social media.Across a range of issues including wars and climate change, consumers are more pessimistic. Only 31% expect war in Ukraine to end, which is 9% less than last year. There's a 12-percentage point increase compared to last year in the belief that more extreme weather events will occur next year, and a 10-percentage point rise in the fear of being hit by a major natural disaster.Still, the biggest issue from most nations is the economy. If countries can maintain current employment levels, while reducing inflation, consumer optimism will continue to grow.