Brits are happy to use AI but still don’t trust it

Key findings:

• 34% of UK adults say they use AI frequently; 37% say they never use it.
• Only 18% trust AI systems to make decisions or take actions.
• No business sector receives a net positive trust score for AI use.
• 72% would not trust AI to act on their behalf without approval.
• 75% of Britons are concerned AI could pose a threat to humanity.

Artificial intelligence is now part of everyday life for many Britons, but most still don’t trust it. New data from a December 2025 YouGov survey shows skepticism is particularly high in sectors like finance, healthcare, and travel. While younger Britons are more open to the technology, all generations express concerns over how much they can trust AI—and whether it could eventually pose a threat to humanity.

How many Britons of each generation use AI frequently?

AI tools are becoming a regular part of life in the UK. According to YouGov’s AI survey, 34% of UK adults report using AI tools frequently in the past 12 months, with another 25% saying they use them occasionally. Just over a third, 37%, say they haven’t used AI at all.

Younger people are driving most of the use. Nearly six in ten 18–24-year-olds (58%) report frequent usage, compared to 30% of those aged 45–54 and 19% of those 55 and over. This shows that while AI tools are well integrated among young people, adoption among older Britons remains limited.

Trust in AI is low—especially for autonomous actions

Despite widespread use, Britons remain wary of AI. When it comes to trusting AI to provide information or recommendations, only 3% say they trust it a lot, and 25% say they trust it somewhat. Another 26% are neutral, but 42% express distrust, including 22% who say they do not trust AI at all.

Even among the most trusting age group—those aged 25–34—41% say they trust AI to some degree when it comes to information, while 34% express distrust.

When it comes to trusting AI to go beyond giving information and make decisions or take actions, trust levels fall even further. Just 1% of all Britons say they trust it a lot, and 13% say they trust it somewhat.

A majority, 60%, say they don’t trust it much or at all. Even among 18–24-year-olds, only 20% express some level of trust, while 56% do not.

Trust in AI hasn’t improved over the past year

Although AI adoption is growing, that has not translated into increased trust. Just 20% of UK adults say their trust in AI has increased over the past year. More, 24%, say it has decreased, and half say their trust has stayed the same.

Younger generations are more optimistic. A third of 18–24-year-olds (33%) say their trust has grown, compared to just 11% of those aged 55 and over. But even among younger Britons, more say their trust has decreased than increased, indicating that AI’s reputation challenges cut across age groups.

Which industries do Britons trust AI in? None

As in the US, no sector in the UK achieves a net positive trust score. Technology comes closest, with 28% of Britons expressing trust in AI within that sector and 38% expressing distrust. Entertainment, dining, and retail follow a similar pattern, with slightly lower trust and moderate distrust.

Sectors involving greater risk or personal impact face much sharper skepticism. In financial services, just 15% of Britons trust AI, while 53% say they do not. The health sector faces similar challenges: only 18% trust AI, compared to 48% who distrust it. These figures suggest strong resistance to AI in areas involving sensitive data, money, or life-and-death decisions.

What tasks won’t Britons trust AI with?

Most Britons draw clear lines on what they’re willing to trust AI to do. When asked what tasks they would never trust AI with, regardless of circumstances, 72% say they would not trust it to act on their behalf without prior approval for each action.

Similarly large majorities say they wouldn’t trust AI to make political decisions (66%), make financial decisions (64%), handle sensitive personal data (63%), or operate a vehicle without human oversight (62%). Even more mainstream applications face resistance. For example, 42% would not trust AI to make travel decisions, and 38% would not trust it to make officiating decisions in professional sport.

Only 8% of Britons say there’s no task they wouldn’t trust AI with, and just 2% offered other answers, most of which expressed total rejection of AI decision-making of any sort.

Most Britons are concerned AI could threaten humanity

Beneath these task-specific concerns lies a deeper unease about AI’s long-term impact. A large majority of Britons, 75%, say they are concerned that AI could eventually pose a threat to humanity. That includes 29% who are very concerned and 45% who are somewhat concerned.

Just 20% say they are not very or not at all concerned. These concerns reinforce the broader message: exposure to AI has not built trust. While many Britons use AI tools in daily life, most do not want them operating independently or making decisions in sensitive domains. For businesses, governments, and developers, the challenge ahead is not just adoption—but assurance.

Methodology: YouGov polled 1,287 UK adults online on December 4, 2025, for general questions about AI, and 1,187 UK adults online on December 8, 2025, for questions related to AI taking action. The surveys were carried out through YouGov Surveys: Serviced. Data is weighted by age, gender, education, region, and social grade to be representative of all adults in the UK (18 years or older) and reflects the latest population estimates from the Office for National Statistics.