'One in five' Britons using AI to get their news, says Ofcom

One in five people are now using AI to keep up with current affairs, according to communications watchdog Ofcom.

Its 2026 News Report details a "dramatic shift" in how news is consumed and distributed, particularly among younger adults and more affluent households.

Some 21% of UK adults used an AI app or service for this purpose in the past month, according to the research. ChatGPT was the most popular app, with 13% using it.

However, respondents also expressed some scepticism over the results served up to them by AI.

More than half - 56% - said they were less trustful of an AI-generated news story or summary than one written by a human.

Social media and video-sharing platforms remain the most common way people discover the day's headlines: 60% of adults used them for this purpose in the past month, according to Ofcom.

Among 16-24-year-old and 12-15-year-olds, researchers found the figure was nearly four in five (78%).

Facebook (39%) and YouTube (33%) were the most common platforms used by all ages of adult.

Looking at all pathways into the headlines, 73% of people used some kind of online intermediary - including search engines and news aggregators.

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Despite the rise of influencers and small content creators, Ofcom said "much of the content encountered via these channels still comes from established broadcasters".

Overall, adults spent an average of 72 minutes per day consuming news.

Ofcom's director of market intelligence, Ian Macrae, said: "In today's 'always-on' environment, many people don't go direct to the news, the news is coming to them through different online intermediaries, increasingly AI-enabled.

"But while audiences are discovering news in new ways, they remain discerning about the sources they trust, particularly in moments like elections, and public service media brands continue to play a vital role."

Mr Macrae said traditional news providers must ensure they "continue to evolve their distribution strategies to continue to meet audiences where they are, and ultimately, avoid getting drowned out by the noise".

(c) Sky News 2026: 'One in five' Britons using AI to get their news, says Ofcom