The BBC has published the results of a study carried out with Ipsos which indicates that one in three people now use AI every week, compared to around one in ten in 2023.
The data also indicates a sharp increase in usage among older audiences, with the largest increase among those aged 55 and over (250% increase), followed by those aged 45-54 (220% increase).
Awareness is now virtually universal, with 98% of UK adults having at least heard of Generation AI, up from 50% a year earlier. Importantly, more than half (58%) of the population have used it, and one in three (35%) use it weekly (compared to 1 in 10 a year ago).
Compared to the last survey in 2023, people remain happier when GenAI is used as a behind-the-scenes support tool. They become more cautious when it begins to influence expression or editorial judgment, and they are more discerning than all when it comes to information. What has changed is that expectations have tightened: audiences now draw clearer boundaries, particularly in sensitive or emotionally charged situations.
Since 2023, the biggest change has been how the public decides whether GenAI feels acceptable in the media. Previously, it was the format itself that was decisive: audio tended to appear more acceptable than video, while news was more cautious. By 2025, the public will make more accurate assessments. They instinctively judge the emotional and editorial stakes of content, and they pay close attention to whether GenAI is simply supporting production in the background or actively shaping what they see and hear.
The broadcaster also continues to develop AI-assisted and human-supervised production tools. One example is My Club Daily, a pilot project that uses generative AI to transform existing BBC sports reports into short club-specific audio updates for BBC Sounds.
In news workflows, the BBC’s Style Assist project has been referenced in industry reporting as a system that reformats Local Democracy Reporting Service copy in the BBC’s house style, with a senior journalist reviewing the output before publication.
The BBC launches a week of thematic programs on artificial intelligence, as new audience research suggests AI is rapidly becoming part of everyday life, while concerns remain over its role in the media.
AI Unpacked Week runs from March 2-8 on TV, iPlayer, radio, BBC Sounds and online, bringing together factual and scripted programs designed to explain how technology is used and what it could mean for work and society.