Around one in five people in the UK say they now use AI apps as a source of news.
Ofcom interviewed 5,397 UK adults for its 2026 News Report and, for the first time, asked them if they had used AI to access news over the past month.
Overall, 21% said yes – with AI use for news most prevalent among 25 to 34-year-olds (37%).
The most popular AI app for finding news was ChatGPT, with 13% of all respondents saying they had used it over the last month to get information about current events.
AI-generated answers present challenges for publishers because they contain mistakes, so can spread misinformation, and they generate very little click-through to original sources, so contribute to declining website traffic.
Overall, Ofcom estimates that UK adults spend 72 minutes per day consuming news (up from 61 minutes last year when the survey had different methodology).
Search engines, online news aggregators, AI, social media and video sharing platforms overall account for 37% of the time Britons spend with news, or 26 minutes per day. These “online intermediaries” are by far the biggest single segment.
Publisher websites account for eight minutes per day on average (or 11% of total news consumption).
Facebook appears to be the biggest social media platform for news consumption, with 39% of adults saying they have used it to consume news over the last month, followed by Youtube on 33%.
When it comes to specific news providers, the BBC continues to dominate with 77% of Britons saying they have used it to find news over the preceding month.
Ofcom also asked survey participants how much they trusted the news they have seen on various platforms. It found that those accessing news on legacy platforms (broadcast, print and radio) all rated it as being far more accurate and trustworthy than those who access news on new digital platforms including AI services.
Ofcom carried out specific research in Scotland, Wales and England to find out where people found information about the May 2026 local and devolved parliament elections.
Based on a survey of 5,550 people, Ofcom found that communications from political parties themselves and broadcast news dominate as sources of election information.
UK national newsbrands (print and online) were cited as a source of election information by 9% of respondents.
Director of market intelligence at Ofcom 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.
“Given the fundamental shifts rapidly taking hold across the news landscape, public service media must continue to evolve their distribution strategies to continue to meet audiences where they are, and ultimately, avoid getting drowned out by the noise.”
Access the complete Ofcom News Report 2026.
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