Nearly half of UK internet users have not touched AI this year
Key Points
- 46% of UK adult internet users had not interacted with AI in the past year
- 48% had used generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini
- Younger people and ABC1 groups were more likely to use AI tools
- Just 8% had used AI in relation to their telecoms services
Ofcom research found that 46% of UK adult internet users had not interacted with AI in the past 12 months.
The figures come from Ofcom’s Technology Tracker 2026, cited in a report on AI in telecoms published on Friday (25 September).
Ipsos conducted face-to-face interviews with 4,033 UK adults aged 16 and over between 6 March and 30 June 2026.
Some 48% of adult internet users said they had used generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Meta AI, Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot in the past year.
Overall, 53% had used a generative AI tool, an AI customer service chatbot or both.
Younger and wealthier users lead
People aged 16 to 44 were more likely to use generative AI tools than those aged 45 and over.
People in the ABC1 socio-economic groups were also more likely to use them than those in the C2DE groups.
People aged over 65 and those in the C2DE groups were less likely to have used an AI chatbot.
Chatbots and telecoms
Around 23% had interacted with a customer service AI chatbot. Retail chatbots were the most common at 11%, followed by financial services and utilities at 8% each and telecoms at 6%.
In total, 8% had used an AI service in relation to their broadband, mobile or other telecoms services.
Some 6% had used AI to resolve a telecoms issue, 3% to compare prices or products, and 2% to make a complaint.
What people use AI for
Among people who had used a generative AI tool or chatbot, the most common uses were:
- Finding information (50%)
- Work (40%)
- Seeking advice (32%)
- Summarising, proofreading or editing text (31%)
- Resolving an issue (27%)
Some 85% of these users found the tools easy to use, and 81% said the tools gave them what they needed.
Trust remains split
Just over half (56%) of AI users said they trusted the results the last time they used a generative AI tool or chatbot.
A further 22% neither agreed nor disagreed, while 21% said they did not trust the results.
Separate 2025 research by the Good Things Foundation found that over a third of UK adults felt less confident going online since the rise of AI tools.
Almost 70% of respondents to that research said AI made it harder to know what is real.
Ofcom said it expects the share of people not using AI to fall if adoption continues at its current pace.
The regulator said it will keep tracking AI adoption through its regular research programme.
