UC Advanced - issue #18

and sources. Critical awareness is vital in navigating this complex world to help us understand the full context of what we see. Misinformation can spread rapidly online, and distinguishing fact from fiction is increasingly challenging. This is especially important with the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deepfakes, which have the potential to convincingly create false narratives and visuals. Good media literacy practices include scrutinising the information we come across online, such as by reading the full story and checking against other sources. The need for critical awareness extends to the managing of our personal data. Controlling what information we share, when we share it and with whom – as well as understanding how they might use it – has a big impact on our online experience, from shaping what we see to reducing risk. At the more extreme end, bad personal data practice can expose us to identity theft, scams, and other dangers. AI Use of and knowledge of AI has grown Around three in ten adults (31%) claim to have used AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini, compared to less than a quarter (23%) in 2023. The age groups most likely to have used AI are those aged 16- 24 (53%) or 25-34 (48%), and men (38%) are more likely to have used it than women (25%). One of the drivers behind the rise in use of AI is the use of it for work and education purposes. Around two in ten (22%) of those in the workforce say they use AI as part of their job; this compares to 12% in 2023. An even greater proportion (45%) of students said this year that they use AI for education purposes. This means that of all AI users, about six in ten (62%) do so for work or education purposes. Of all the reasons we ask about for using AI, work is now the joint top reason alongside curiosity.

INSIGHTS

Ofcom: Trust in AI Yet to Improve

AI is no more trusted now as it was in 2023, according to Ofcom’s Adult’s Media Use and Attitudes Report 2025 . Around one third of adults (31%) have used AI tools like ChatGPT but only just over half of adults (52%) said they would be more likely to trust an article written by a human than AI, which is a similar figure to its report last year. While many of Ofcom’s sample group were able to easily recognise a number of AI-generated images and videos as “obviously fake”, participants admitted that some hoax content could have slipped under the radar and perhaps influenced their beliefs and decision-making. Good news! Adults feel more positively about online communication platforms. Six in ten users now feel the benefits of these platforms outweigh the risks. Online communication platform is a blanket term to encompass apps/sites used to send messages, make voice or share video calls, social media or live streaming apps/sites used to watch or post content.

This year there had been a marked upturn in the claimed use of such tools among our Adults’ Media Lives sample, particularly for those working in office-based jobs. Many of them now regularly use apps like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot in work, and sometimes outside work as well. On the

Expereo: Lacking Network Infrastructure Prevents Progress 8

An Expereo study has found that nearly half (47%) of businesses in the UK do not have the necessary network infrastructure to support the cutting-edge technologies, including AI solutions. A greater number still (49%) shared that poor network performance was limiting their ability to enable data and AI projects.

Expereo made the findings through its Enterprise Horizons 2025 study of 650 global enterprise technology leaders across Europe, the US and APAC. The study also revealed that more than a quarter (26%) of technology execs are struggling to meet the rapidly growing AI expectations. Sachin Agrawal, Managing Director for Zoho UK, underscores the importance of having a solid network infrastructure in place: “As businesses in the UK and the rest of the world rush to embrace AI, the reality check from the research is clear that without strong, scalable infrastructure, the promise of AI could become a liability rather than a strength.”

InfoBrief sponsored by Expereo | April 2025

Sachin Agrawal Managing Director

Enterprise Horizons, 2025 Technology Leaders’ Priorities: Achieving Digital Agility

zoho.com

James Eibisch Research Director

Martina Longo Research Manager

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