AI News Consumption Grows to 10% While Trust Remains Low Globally

The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2026 shows that the share of people accessing news through AI chatbots rose to 10% in 48 markets, up from 7% a year earlier. Despite the jump, only about 1% consider AI their primary news source, indicating that AI is still a supplementary channel. In six surveyed markets, weekly use of generative AI doubled from 18% in 2024 to 34% in 2025, with information‑search tasks rising from 11% to 24%.

A separate YouGov and Meltwater survey of nearly 10,000 consumers in seven countries found that acceptance of AI drops sharply for news reporting, with just 21% of respondents comfortable with AI‑generated news. Acceptance is higher for entertainment (53%) but lower for political advertising (18%). American respondents showed the greatest skepticism, with only 25% enthusiastic about generative AI and high concern about fake news and undisclosed AI use. Overall, 86% of participants said clear disclosure of AI involvement is important, and 59% said lack of disclosure erodes their trust in brands.