ChatGPT, other AI products seldom used despite hype – global study

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — Despite the immense hype surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) products like ChatGPT, very few people are actually using them regularly, according to a new study. 

The online survey was conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) at the University of Oxford. It covered 12,000 individuals across six countries, including Argentina, Denmark, France, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, from March 28 to April 30, 2024.

“Large parts of the public are not particularly interested in generative AI, and 30% of people in the UK say they have not heard of any of the most prominent products, including ChatGPT,” Dr. Fletcher stated in an interview with the BBC.

The respondents said that they used generative AI for getting information (24%) as creating various kinds of media, including text but also audio, code, images, and video (28%). Meanwhile, 5% said that they relied on generative AI to get the latest news.

Young adults most engaged with generative AI

The findings reveal that ChatGPT is the most widely recognised generative AI product – around 50% of the respondents have heard of it, compared to Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot.

ChatGPT is also the most used generative AI tool in the six countries surveyed, although its frequent use is notably low, with only 1% of respondents in Japan using it on a daily basis, 2% in France and the UK, and 7% in the U.S. 

“Many of those who say they have used generative AI have used it just once or twice, and it is yet to become part of people’s routine internet use,” the report said.

However, the study did uncover one demographic that appears to be embracing the technology more readily – young adults.

“Averaging across all six countries, 56% of 18–24s say they have used ChatGPT at least once, compared to 16% of those aged 55 and over,” the report added.

This generational divide suggests that while overall daily usage is low, there might be a growing trend among younger individuals that could shape future norms.

Hopes and fears surrounding AI

The survey also explored public opinion on the potential impacts of generative AI across various sectors. 

“Most of the public expect generative AI to have a large impact on virtually every sector of society in the next five years, ranging from 51% expecting a large impact on political parties to 66% for news media and 66% for science,” the report noted.

However, confidence in responsible AI usage varies greatly among sectors, with more trust placed in scientists and healthcare professionals than in social media companies and politicians.

Cautious stance on AI’s role in journalism

The public remains cautious about the role of generative AI in journalism. Nearly half of the respondents believe journalists utilize AI for tasks like editing grammar (43%) or composing headlines (29%).

“Many believe generative AI is already relatively widely used for many different tasks, but that they are, in most cases, not convinced these uses of AI make news better – they mostly expect it to make it cheaper to produce,” the report emphasized.

“It is still early days, and it remains to be seen how public use and perception of generative AI in general, and its role in journalism and news specifically, will evolve.”

The findings underscore the need for governments, regulators, and the public to approach the AI discussion with a balanced perspective, acknowledging both its potential benefits and risks.