# AI chatbots are rarely used as a daily news source

Canonical page: https://data.verasight.io/culture/ai-chatbots-are-rarely-used-as-a-daily-news-source/
Published: 2026-07-13

> Featured topic in Culture.

61% of U.S. adults never get news from AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini and just 4% often do, while news websites or apps (76%), search engines (75%) and social media (75%) each reach about three-quarters of adults at least sometimes.

## Overview: Online news channels

AI chatbots are the one online news channel that has not caught on. 61% of U.S. adults never get news from chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, and just 4% often do.

The established channels reach near-identical audiences. News websites or apps (76%), search engines (75%) and social media (75%) each reach about three-quarters of adults at least sometimes.

## Chatbot news use is rare

On their smartphones, computers and tablets, 61% of U.S. adults never get news from AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, and another 20% rarely do, a combined 81%.

Just 4% often get news from a chatbot, and 15% sometimes do. Adults 65 and older are the most likely to have skipped chatbots entirely, with 67% saying never, compared with 56% of adults 30 to 49.

## Websites, search and social media dominate

About three-quarters of adults at least sometimes get news from news websites or apps (76%, combining 37% often and 39% sometimes), through Google or other search engines (75%, combining 29% often and 46% sometimes) and from social media (75%, combining 41% often and 34% sometimes).

Social media is the most frequent habit of the three: 41% often get news there, including 56% of adults under 30. News websites or apps skew the other way, with 47% of adults 65 and older often using them, versus 27% of adults under 30.

## Podcasts and newsletters also trail

Podcasts reach a limited news audience: 11% of adults often get news from them, while 66% rarely (24%) or never (42%) do.

Email newsletters look similar. About one in ten adults (11%) often get news from them, while 36% never do and another 27% rarely do.

## Supporting evidence

### 61% of U.S. adults never get news from AI chatbots, compared with 8% who never get news from news websites or apps.

Question: Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - News websites or apps

Note: Shows how often adults get news from AI chatbots on their devices.

Topline:

- Sometimes: 38.6%
- Often: 36.9%
- Rarely: 16.1%
- Never: 8.4%

### Just 4% of U.S. adults often get news from AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini; 61% never do.

Question: Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini

Note: Shows how often adults get news from AI chatbots on their devices.

Topline:

- Never: 60.9%
- Rarely: 19.8%
- Sometimes: 15.0%
- Often: 4.2%

## Methodology

- Mode: Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
- Population: US adults age 18+
- Field dates: 2026-06-18 → 2026-06-19
- Base (unweighted): 1,690
- Margin of error: +/- 2.8%
- Module: AI Regulation
- Sponsor: Verasight
- Weight variable: weight
- Weighting targets: age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status

## Sources

- [Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini](https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey): reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey: Shows how often adults get news from AI chatbots on their devices.
- [Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - News websites or apps](https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey): reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey: Shows how often adults get news from news websites or apps.
- [Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - Social media such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram](https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey): reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey: Shows how often adults get news from social media.
- [Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - Search through Google or other search engines](https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey): reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey: Shows how often adults get news through search engines.
- [Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - Podcasts](https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey): reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey: Adds how often adults get news from podcasts.
- [Now thinking about the news you get on a smartphone, computer, or tablet, how often do you get news from… - Email newsletters](https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey): reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey: Adds how often adults get news from email newsletters.

## Citation

What do Americans from both parties agree on? AI Regulation, fielded June 18-19, 2026, N=1,690 US adults age 18+, +/- 2.8%.

Canonical question URL: [https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey](https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey)