Ofcom's 2026 News Report found a change in how people in the UK get their news. One in five adults now use artificial intelligence to stay informed on current events.
The watchdog said 21% of UK adults used an AI app or service for news in the past month. This shift is more common among younger adults and wealthier households.
ChatGPT was the most used AI tool for news. Ofcom found that 13% of adults turned to it in the past month.
Despite this growth, many people remain wary of AI written news. More than half of respondents, 56%, said they trust AI-generated news less than stories written by a human journalist.
Social Media Still Leads the Way
Social media and video platforms remain the most common route to the headlines. Ofcom found that 60% of adults used these platforms to find news in the past month.
The number is much higher among younger people. Nearly four in five people aged 16 to 24, and those aged 12 to 15, said they used social media or video platforms for news.
Facebook was the most used platform across all adult age groups, with 39% turning to it for news. YouTube followed close behind with 33%.
Ofcom also looked at all the different ways people find news online. It found that 73% of adults used some kind of online intermediary, such as a search engine or a news aggregator.
Established Broadcasters Still Play a Role
Ofcom noted that even with the rise of influencers and small content creators, much of what people see still traces back to established broadcasters.
The report said traditional outlets continue to supply a large share of the content shared and discussed on social platforms.
On average, adults in the UK spent 72 minutes a day consuming news, according to the report.
Ian Macrae, Ofcom's director of market intelligence, spoke about the findings. He said many people no longer seek out news directly.
"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," Macrae said.
He added that audiences remain careful about which sources they trust, especially during events like elections. He said public service media brands still play a role in this.
Macrae said traditional news providers need to keep adapting how they distribute content. He said outlets must meet audiences where they already are, so they are not drowned out by online noise.
