AI is an information gateway. Audiences still don't want it making their news (www.niemanlab.org)

A recent report titled “Generative AI and News Report 2026,” co-authored by researchers from the Reuters Institute, reveals that generative AI is increasingly serving as an information intermediary, with 51% of respondents across nine countries using conversational AI systems like ChatGPT weekly. This represents a faster adoption rate than that of smartphones and the internet. Despite the rise in AI usage, particularly for information retrieval, usage for news remains low, with only 9% of respondents using AI for news-related tasks. The survey indicates that while AI-generated summaries are encountered by a significant portion of users, direct reliance on AI for news is still largely niche. The significance of this research lies in its reflection of the evolving relationship between AI and audience perceptions. Notably, 67% of respondents did not use AI agents recently, expressing skepticism towards AI-generated news, particularly concerning trust in accuracy. While users appreciate the efficiency AI brings to information gathering, many remain uncomfortable with AI's role in journalism, especially for outputs lacking human oversight. This ambivalence highlights challenges for news organizations as they navigate the integration of AI technologies into their workflows and seek to communicate the benefits of AI to a hesitant audience. As generative AI continues to reshape the media landscape, its implications could fundamentally alter both traditional journalism and digital information ecosystems.