Trends and Insight in association with Synapse Virtual Production
New Research: Public Trusts AI More Than Influencers or Government
Date: 11/11/2025
A new UK study of 5,020 adults shows a clear trust reset. Almost half (44%) say they trust AI, compared with just 24% who trust social media influencers and 38% who trust government. Traditional news outlets (print, digital, TV) still lead most public information journeys with 55% trust, while scientists and experts top the table at 80%.
The study was conducted by OnePoll for a white paper from creative content agency 72Point and AI transformation consultancy Purposeful Relations: The Traditional Media's Influence in the Age of AI. It examines how AI answers and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) are reshaping discovery, credibility, and media strategy.
Key findings PR, comms, and public sector leaders need to know
- 44% trust AI; only 24% trust influencers; 38% trust government; 55% trust traditional news; 80% trust scientists and experts.
- 27% now rely primarily on AI summaries and won't click through to original sources or citations.
- 82% care about where AI tools get their information.
- 89% expect transparency from media about AI use; 74% are concerned about AI use by media.
Why this matters
AI is already a primary interface for information, and people hold it to high standards. They want clear sourcing and transparency. That puts pressure on comms teams to make content machine-readable, verifiable, and consistently aligned with what AI systems consider credible.
As Chris Pharo, CEO of 72Point, said: "Generative AI has fundamentally changed how people find and interpret information. Journalism needs to show machines what truth looks like. PR professionals must ensure that brands behave in ways that deserve to be part of the earned media and AI dataset. Credibility and visibility have become one and the same."
He added: "Even though trust in AI answers is almost twice that of social media influencers brands will continue to pour millions into influencers while failing to make investments into their AI reputations and improving their earned media coverage."
GEO vs SEO (in plain terms)
SEO helps people find you in search results. GEO helps AI assistants and answer engines choose your content when they generate responses. If your evidence, citations, and coverage are weak, AI is less likely to surface you. If your brand is credible in trusted sources, AI is more likely to reference you.
What experts are saying
Stuart Bruce, joint CEO of Purposeful Relations, said: "We identified AI as an important stakeholder early in 2024, and the never-ending stream of research reports since then all confirm our prediction that GEO will be critically important for brands and reputations and therefore a great opportunity for the public relations industry."
He cautioned that "the reports are riddled with contradictions and flawed methodology. The reliable data needed to make the claims in some reports isn't available." The white paper draws on in-depth analysis of the strongest studies and conversations across the field.
Practical actions you can take now
- Treat AI systems as stakeholders: publish clear, source-rich content that's easy for machines to parse.
- Strengthen your earned media footprint with consistent, expert-led coverage in trusted outlets.
- Make provenance obvious: author bios, citations, dates, and accessible data sources.
- Publish concise executive summaries and FAQs that match how AI models extract answers.
- Implement an AI transparency note on your site: where and how you use AI in content workflows.
- Create a GEO playbook: schema markup, citations in high-authority media, and clean site architecture.
- Measure AI visibility: track where your brand appears in AI answers and compare against key peers.
- Prepare spokespeople and experts: they remain the most trusted-use them consistently.
Event and expert panel
The white paper launched at a breakfast briefing in Shoreditch with an expert panel covering AI discovery and storytelling, trust and credibility, GEO vs SEO, misinformation, and the future of media and journalism.
- Antony Cousins, VP product, Meltwater
- Karyn Fleeting, delivery director and AI, Reach plc
- Darryl Sparey, co-founder and managing director, Hard Numbers
- Stuart Bruce, co-founder and joint CEO, Purposeful Relations
How this aligns with wider evidence
The findings echo broader media trust trends and the growing role AI plays in discovery and news habits. For context, see the Reuters Institute's Digital News Report 2024 and Ofcom's UK news consumption study.
Next steps
The Traditional Media's Influence in the Age of AI outlines 12 imperatives for 2026, with guidance for communications leaders on treating AI systems as stakeholders, investing in earned media, and supporting journalism as the foundation of trust. Download details are available via 72Point and Purposeful Relations.
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