People who use chatbots for news consider them unbiased and "good enough," new study finds

"Chatbots are already a burgeoning source of news. Seven percent of respondents in the U.S. use chatbots for news every week, according to a report last summer from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ). In India, that number jumps to nearly 20 percent. As AI chatbot usage only continues to grow, there's real potential for these products to become a fixture in the way many discover and read the news - and upend traditional search traffic in the process."

"CNTI only recruited interviewees that use AI chatbots at least once a week and who said they "keep informed about issues and the events of the day" at least somewhat closely. The most popular products among them were ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, and Google's AI products, including Gemini and AI Mode in search. While there is helpful survey research out there about chatbots, for most people, the distinction between "getting news" through chatbots and "seeking out information" is slippery at best."

Chatbots already function as a news source, with weekly use by 7% of respondents in the U.S. and nearly 20% in India. Interviews with 53 frequent chatbot users in the U.S. and India examined how they keep informed and which products they use. Participants most often used ChatGPT, Microsoft's Copilot, and Google's Gemini and AI Mode in search. Many users did not categorize their interactions as 'news' even when outputs cited multiple news stories. The boundary between 'getting news' and 'seeking information' is unclear, complicating self-reported usage. Interviews included demonstrations of use cases and walkthroughs of chat histories.

Read at Nieman Lab