How Brits communicate in 2026: Messaging dominates while AI use is emerging

Key findings:

• Messaging is the most widely used communication method in the UK, with 89% of Brits using it regularly, compared with 50% for voice calls and 24% for video calls. 
• Messaging is replacing calls for most Britons, with 74% saying it has replaced at least some calls, including 44% who say it has replaced most. 
• Messaging use is still growing, with 24% of Brits saying they message more than a year ago, compared with 15% who make more voice calls. 
• AI use in messaging is slowly emerging with 17% Gen Z using it rewrite or edit messages.

Messaging has become central to how people in the UK communicate, with most Britons relying on it regularly and many using it more than they did a year ago. A new YouGov Surveys: Serviced study which polled 2,312 UK adults in March 2026 finds that while traditional methods like voice calls remain in use, newer formats, from messaging apps to emerging AI use, are reshaping communication habits.

Messaging and voice notes see more growth than decline in communication habits

Messaging stands out as the format seeing the clearest increase in use among Britons. Nearly a quarter (24%) say they are messaging more than a year ago, compared with 7% Brits who say they are messaging less. Voice notes also show a positive shift, with 16% saying they are using them more frequently, compared with 10% who say they are using them less.

Voice calls show a more balanced pattern, with 15% saying they are making more calls and 16% saying they are making fewer. By contrast, on video calls, 18% say they are using them less often, compared with 16% who say they are using them more.

For most Brits, however, communication habits remain steady overall. Nearly seven in ten (68%) say their messaging use is about the same, alongside 64% for voice calls, 40% for video calls, and 30% for voice notes.

At the same time, some formats remain less widely used overall. 25% respondents say video calls are not applicable to them, and 44% say the same of voice notes, compared with just 4% for voice calls and 1% for messaging.

Most Britons say messaging has taken over some or most of their calls

Over seven in ten Brits (74%) say messaging has replaced at least some of the phone calls they used to make. Over four in ten (44%) say messaging (whether through SMS or digital messaging apps) has replaced most of the calls they once relied on, while 30% say it has replaced some calls, though they still call regularly. Only about one in five (16%) say messaging hasn’t really replaced calls, and just 5% report making more calls now than they used to.

Millennials (51%) followed by Gen X (46%) are most likely to say messaging has replaced most of their calls compared with 42% of Gen Z and 38% of Baby Boomers and older.

At 21%, Gen Z lead in saying messaging hasn’t really replaced calls, followed by Baby Boomer and older at 19%. Gen Z (12%) also outpace others in noting that they make more calls now than they used to. 

Messaging leads UK communication habits, while voice calls remain second most used

Eighty-nine percent of Brits say they use messaging on a regular basis (defined as multiple times per week), making it the most commonly used communication method in the country. Voice calls come in second at 50%, a substantial share that underscores calling's continued relevance. Video calls (24%) and voice notes (15%) are used regularly by a comparatively smaller portion of the population, while 4% say they do not regularly use any of these methods.

The reach of messaging is consistent across demographic groups. Women use it at 91% and men at 87%. Similar proportions of Gen Z (91%), Millennials (90%) and Gen X (91%) regularly use messaging. Baby Boomers and older come in at 84% for this format of communication. 

Gen Z, at 54%, is ahead of others (49% each) in regularly using voice calls. Video calls are more generationally skewed; 35% of Gen Z use them regularly, compared with 15% of Baby Boomers+.

AI in messaging apps: Brits use it to rewrite texts, create images and more

While messaging apps are widely used, AI-powered features within them are still at an early stage of adoption.

Among those who do use AI, the most common activities include creating images, stickers, or emojis (12%), rewriting or editing messages (11%), and getting help drafting messages (11%).

Other uses, such as generating replies (9%) or translating messages (8%), are less common.

Gen Z and Millennials are more active across features, for example, 17% of Gen Z and 15% of Millennials have used AI to rewrite or edit messages, compared with 10% of Gen X and 5% of Baby Boomers. A similar pattern appears for generating replies (15% Gen Z vs. 8% Gen X and 4% Baby Boomers+) and translating messages (14% vs. 7% and 4%), showing that AI use in messaging is still concentrated among younger users.

Messaging has become the default way Britons communicate, not only in reach but also in how it is gradually replacing traditional methods like voice calls. At the same time, newer features such as AI are beginning to emerge within messaging environments. Together, these trends point to a communication landscape that is increasingly centred on messaging, with further change likely as new tools gain traction.

Methodology: 

YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 25-26 March 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 2,312 adults (aged 18+ years) in Great Britain, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region and social grade to be representative of all adults in Great Britain (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.

Picture credits: Getty Images