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One in five UK adults now use AI tools to access news, Ofcom reports

Tuesday, 15 September 2026 2:48PM UTC

21% of UK adults have used AI tools for news in the past year
ChatGPT is the most widely used AI news source at 13%
Trust in AI-generated news remains lower than human journalism

One in five adults in the UK are now using AI tools such as ChatGPT to keep up with the news, according to Ofcom’s latest News Report.

The communications regulator said 21 per cent of adults had used an AI app or service to access news over the past year, with ChatGPT the most widely used option at 13 per cent.

Ofcom said the figures, which are considerably higher than other estimates of AI usage for news, reflected a broader shift towards a more fragmented news environment, in which people are increasingly reaching stories through digital intermediaries rather than going directly to publishers.

Ian McCrae, Ofcom’s director of market intelligence, said the modern news diet was increasingly shaped by platforms and services that sit between audiences and traditional outlets. Ofcom’s research found that almost three-quarters of adults now get news through online intermediaries, while around six in ten still go direct to the websites or apps of news publishers.

Despite the rise of AI-assisted news consumption, trust remains a major hurdle. More than half of adults said they trusted an AI-written news story less than one produced by a human journalist, underscoring continuing scepticism about machine-generated content.

The report also places AI within a wider pattern of changing media habits. Ofcom has found that social media and video-sharing platforms remain the most common way people discover news, while its broader research suggests AI use is spreading across everyday life, alongside passive social media habits and other online behaviours.

Even so, traditional media continues to matter at key political moments. Ofcom said television was the most-used source of election news in research carried out after the May local, mayoral, Scottish Parliament and Senedd elections, reaching 62 per cent of those aware of the contests, compared with 33 per cent for online sources.

The regulator’s findings come amid wider concern about the pace of AI development and the challenge of keeping pace with new uses of the technology in public life. For now, the message from Ofcom is clear: AI is becoming part of how Britons consume news, but it has yet to displace human journalism as the more trusted option.

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,one-in-five-brits-use-ai-to-follow-the-news - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/attitudes-to-news/one-in-five-brits-using-ai-to-keep-up-with-news - Ofcom's 2026 News Report reveals that 21% of UK adults have used AI tools like ChatGPT to stay updated with news. The report highlights a shift in news consumption, with AI tools becoming a significant intermediary. Despite this, over half of adults express less trust in AI-generated news compared to human-written content. The study also notes that nearly three-quarters of adults access news through online intermediaries, while traditional media remains crucial during major democratic events, with television being the most-used source of election news.
https://www.v2radio.co.uk/news/v2-radio-technology-news/one-in-five-britons-using-ai-to-get-their-news-says-ofcom/ - V2 Radio reports on Ofcom's 2026 News Report, stating that 21% of UK adults have used AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to follow current affairs. The article highlights that ChatGPT is the most popular AI app for news, used by 13% of adults. Despite the rise in AI usage, more than half of adults are less trustful of AI-generated news stories compared to those written by humans. The report also notes that social media and video-sharing platforms remain the most common way people discover news, with 60% of adults using them for this purpose.
https://www.statista.com/chart/36329/share-of-respondents-who-consume-news-via-ai-chatbots/ - Statista presents data from the Reuters Institute's Digital News Report, indicating that only 10% of people in a 45-country sample use AI chatbots to consume news. The UK has the lowest adoption rate at 4%, with countries like South Korea and Turkey at 14% and Brazil at 13%. The report also mentions that public broadcasters in Germany and the UK have started using AI to generate article summaries, reflecting the gradual integration of AI in news consumption.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/media-habits-adults/passive-social-media-use-ai-companionship-and-online-side-hustles-uk-adults-media-and-online-lives-revealed - Ofcom's research reveals that 89% of adult internet users in the UK use at least one social media platform, with 97% among 16–34-year-olds. The study highlights a shift towards passive social media use, AI companionship, and online side hustles. It also notes that AI adoption is accelerating, with more people using AI tools in their daily lives, including for news consumption. However, the report emphasizes the need for media literacy to navigate the evolving digital landscape.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/annual-reports-and-plans/ofcoms-strategic-approach-to-ai - Ofcom outlines its approach to enabling safe and secure AI adoption across regulated sectors and within its own operations. The report details how Ofcom applies technology-neutral, outcomes-based regulatory principles to AI and provides case studies demonstrating its role in supporting sectors to innovate safely with AI. The approach aligns with Ofcom's broader mission of making communications work for everyone, ensuring that AI integration benefits consumers and businesses while maintaining safety and trust.
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/attitudes-to-news/more-trends-from-our-latest-research-how-people-in-the-uk-find-and-feel-about-news - Ofcom's 2026 News Report highlights that seven in ten people consider local news to be among the most important forms of news, with local weather being the most valuable type of local information. The study also reveals that 95% of adults make use of local news and information, with word of mouth (54%), social media (48%), and television (42%) being the most common ways of accessing it. This underscores the continued importance of local news in the UK's media landscape.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The article is dated 15 September 2026, matching the publication date of the Ofcom report. No evidence of recycled or outdated content was found. The narrative appears original and timely.

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: The direct quote from Ian McCrae, Ofcom's director of market intelligence, is consistent with the Ofcom report. However, the quote from Dario Amodei, head of AI giant Anthropic, cannot be independently verified based on the available information. This raises concerns about the authenticity of the quote.

Source reliability

Score: 8

Notes: The primary source, Ofcom, is a reputable UK communications regulator. However, the secondary source, Holyrood, is a niche publication with limited reach. The inclusion of a potentially unverifiable quote from Dario Amodei further diminishes the overall reliability of the article.

Plausibility check

Score: 9

Notes: The claims about AI usage for news consumption align with Ofcom's findings. However, the unverifiable quote from Dario Amodei introduces uncertainty regarding the accuracy of the information.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): REVIEW

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM

Summary: The article presents timely and original information consistent with Ofcom's findings. However, the inclusion of a potentially unverifiable quote from Dario Amodei introduces uncertainty regarding the accuracy and reliability of the content. Given the reliance on a niche publication and the unverifiable quote, further editorial review is recommended before publishing.

AI
News Consumption
Media Trends