AI Conversational Robots Gaining Traction for Information
According to a highly anticipated annual report on digital information published this Tuesday, young individuals are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence (AI) conversational robots to stay informed. Among these tools, ChatGPT—developed by the American company OpenAI—has emerged as the most popular source, surpassing Google’s Gemini and Meta’s Llama.
Insights from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Mitali Mukherjee, Director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, summarizes the report: “AI-powered conversational robots are being used as an information source for the first time.”
Survey Details and Findings
The study, based on online surveys conducted by YouGov among 97,000 individuals across 48 countries including Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, reveals that the global proportion of respondents using AI weekly for information is relatively low at 7%.
However, this figure rises to 12% among those under 35 and 15% for those below 25, indicating a growing trend among younger demographics.
ChatGPT Dominates as a News Source
Among AI-based tools, ChatGPT leads as the most preferred source for information, followed by Google’s Gemini and Meta’s Llama.
Respondents find these tools valuable for customizing and tailoring information to their specific needs, such as summarizing articles for quicker reading (27%), translating content into different languages (24%), providing recommendations, and even answering questions about current events (18%).
Skepticism and Concerns Regarding AI in Information
Despite this emerging usage, respondents in most countries remain skeptical about AI’s role in information dissemination. They prefer human involvement and express concerns that AI-generated content may be less transparent and reliable.
AI models consume data from the internet, including news content, to generate texts or images based on natural language queries from users. Some media outlets have entered agreements with AI actors for revenue, while others have pursued legal action against copyright infringement.
Declining Trust in Traditional Media
This shift has also contributed to the declining credibility of traditional media outlets, as indicated by other surveys.
“This change has enabled politicians like Donald Trump in the US and Javier Milei in Argentina to bypass traditional media,” warns the report.
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Report
Published annually by the Reuters Institute at Oxford University, this digital information report is regarded as a crucial reference for analyzing media transformations.
