Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded in everyday life, from helping consumers answer questions and plan trips to powering tools across retail and other industries.
But widespread use does not mean consumers are entirely comfortable with the technology.
New YouGov AI Index data shows that 93% of British adults have at least one concern about using AI. At the same time, just over half (51%) say they use AI tools at least once a week – suggesting that reservations about the technology are doing relatively little to keep people from using it.
Privacy and overreliance lead Britons’ concerns about AI
Data privacy and security is the most widely cited concern about using AI, selected by roughly two-thirds of British adults (65%).
Concern about humans becoming overreliant on AI follows closely, at 61%. More than half say they lack trust in AI outputs or their accuracy (54%), while a similar proportion are concerned about AI companies themselves (53%).
Around 45% are concerned about automation replacing human roles, with the same share citing surveillance as a worry. Regulatory uncertainty (40%), ethical concerns (40%) and the environmental impact (40%) of AI are each cited by around four in ten British adults.
A little over a quarter (28%) point to a lack of knowledge or training. Just 7% say they have no concerns about using AI at all.
Concerns about AI aren’t stopping people from using it
Despite these concerns, AI use is already widespread.
Just over half of British adults (51%) say they use AI tools at least once a week. Another 12% use them less than weekly but at least monthly, while 15% use AI less than once a month. Around one in five (22%) say they never use it.
Notably, the presence of concerns makes relatively little difference to weekly usage.
Half (50%) of Britons who have at least one concern about AI still use the technology at least once a week. Among the much smaller group who say they have no concerns, weekly usage rises to 63%.
The findings suggest that unease about issues such as privacy, accuracy and overreliance does not necessarily translate into avoidance.
Methodology: YouGov AI Index delivers sector-level intelligence by combining brand tracking with in-depth consumer insights. Data is collected daily from YouGov’s proprietary online panel and delivered via monthly dashboards, tailored to the unique needs of each industry. It provides a representative view of market dynamics, brand performance, and consumer behaviors. Insights are weighted to nationally representative demographics within each market.
