Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism How people are using generative AI, and what this means for news
Oct 13, 2025
Dr. Felix M. Simon, a specialist in political communication and AI’s role in news, shares insights on the growing influence of generative AI in journalism. He reveals interesting demographic differences in AI adoption across countries like the USA and Japan. The discussion touches on common uses of AI, including information-seeking and news creation, and explores public trust in AI-generated content. Felix also addresses concerns about news quality and transparency, highlighting how people's expectations vary widely across regions.
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Rapid Uptake But Many Occasional Users
- Awareness of generative AI is nearly universal and usage rose sharply year-on-year.
- Weekly use doubled from 18% to 34%, showing fast adoption but many remain occasional users.
Young Users Drive Most Engagement
- Younger people adopt generative AI far more than older cohorts.
- For ChatGPT the gap is extreme: 47% weekly in 18–24s versus 9% in 55+.
AI As Sensemaking Tool
- Information-seeking is now the top generative-AI use, overtaking creative tasks.
- Weekly use for research and factual answers rose from 11% to 24% across countries.