How audiences are rebuilding trust in a post-search world

As generative AI reshapes how people discover and interpret information, the rules of credibility are being rewritten. The Truth, Trust and the Algorithm report from OnePoll reveals how public trust is evolving in an age where summaries, snippets and synthetic sources often replace headlines and bylines.

Drawing on insights from our nationally representative survey of 5,020 UK adults, this landmark study uncovers what audiences believe, question and share – and what that means for marketing departments.

Key highlights:

27% of people now read only the AI-generated summary at the top of search results – for many, that summary is the story.

44% of the public trust AI tools and assistants – rising to 65% among Gen Z, making AI more trusted than social media.

71% say they’re confident in AI-generated answers, yet 82% still double-check them – revealing a new kind of “cautious confidence.”

55% of the public say it’s getting harder to know which sources to trust, while 49% regularly question whether the news they see is real or fake.

89% believe the media must be transparent about its use of AI – proof that openness itself is now a marker of credibility.

Download the full report to understand how truth is being rebuilt in a generative world – and how your brand can stay credible, visible and trusted in the age of AI.