The UK public has a higher level of concern about misinformation online than it does the prevalence of AI-generated content.

According to a recent YouGov survey conducted among 2,000 UK adults, 81% of respondents expressed concern about the trustworthiness of online content, compared to 73% who are concerned about the prevalence of AI-generated content.

Respondents are also concerned about digitally altered content, with 76% reporting apprehension about photoshopped images and edited videos.

However, the YouGov data reveals that while two-thirds (67%) of consumers show concern for misinformation from AI-generated content, a larger segment (75%) perceive digitally altered content, such as deepfakes, as a strong contributor to misinformation.

Within the marketing industry, optimism about the future of AI is necessarily tempered by pessimism around possible side effects.

Earlier this year, Giffgaff media strategy director Georgina Bramall told Marketing Week that generative AI, in particular, is helping Giffgaff to develop agile working practices in its creative and marketing departments.

“It [Gen AI] has been adopted by a number of our teams as we look to increase our ability to personalise and to respond both quickly and effectively,” she said.

Labelling AI-generated content

YouGov also found that opinions are divided about labelling AI-generated content. Half of the respondents (50%) believe labels would be effective in reducing the spread of misinformation from AI-generated online content, while 29% find them ineffective.

This mirrors the situation with digitally altered content, where again 50% believe labels are helpful and 29% disagree.

Trust in labels also falls short. When asked about their perceptions of labels on AI-generated content on social media, nearly half (48%) of respondents say they would distrust the accuracy of AI-generated content labelling, compared to just a fifth (19%) who would trust it.

Overrated: Social media viewed as overly important by businesses, marketers say

When asked about how individuals might react upon encountering social media posts labelled as AI-generated content, a significant portion, 42%, indicated they wouldn’t take any immediate action. This suggests a degree of neutrality surrounding AI-generated content.

However, a sizable segment (27%) would block or unfollow the account, potentially filtering out AI-generated and organic content from a creator altogether. Small figures for engaging with a post (5%), wanting to see more AI content (2%), and sharing the post (2%) indicate a cautious approach.