A recent study by the Reuters Institute and the University of Oxford sheds light on the general population's widespread lack of awareness and usage of generative AI tools. Despite their prevalence in tech-centric professions, tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot remain unfamiliar to many people, with 20-30% of respondents across six countries admitting they haven't even heard of them.

The survey, conducted among approximately 12,000 participants in Argentina, Denmark, France, Japan, the UK, and the USA, highlights that most people do not use generative AI tools daily. Even OpenAI's ChatGPT, the most recognised tool, is used daily by only a small fraction of respondents, ranging from 1% in Japan to 7% in the USA. Other popular tools like Google's Gemini and Microsoft's Copilot also have limited daily usage.

Generational differences are evident, with younger demographics more likely to engage with generative AI, while older age groups exhibit lower usage rates. The study suggests that generative AI is primarily utilised for media generation and information retrieval, with 28% using it for various media types and 24% for gathering information.

Respondents anticipate significant impacts of generative AI across sectors such as search engines, social media, news media, and science. However, overall expectations regarding AI's societal impact lean towards pessimism, particularly concerning issues like the cost of living, equality, and job security.