More than four in 10 people have questioned whether a message they received was genuine as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in everyday communication, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 adults across the UK and US found that 58 percent now use AI in some aspect of their daily communications, while 41 percent have doubted the authenticity of a message they received.
The growing use of AI-generated content is creating new challenges for organisations seeking to maintain trust in workplace and customer communications, particularly as employees and consumers navigate an increasing number of digital platforms.
Trust becomes a communication challenge
The research, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of email signature management company Exclaimer, found that people now use an average of six communication channels each day, including email, messaging apps, workplace platforms and social media.
Nearly half of respondents said the platform used to send a message affects how trustworthy it feels, while 46 percent said it influences perceptions of professionalism. More than a third said it affects how seriously they take the information they receive.
The study also found that communication overload is causing practical problems. More than one in five respondents said they had missed important information because it was sent on a platform they rarely check. The same proportion said they had struggled to locate an important message because it had been sent on what they considered the wrong platform.
A further 18 percent said they had lost an important message altogether because a platform deleted it, an account was closed or they changed devices.
Jenny Herbison, senior vice president of global marketing at Exclaimer, said trust was becoming increasingly important as communication channels multiply.
“Businesses often focus on how quickly and widely they can get a message out. What this research suggests is that, for the things that genuinely matter, consumers care far more about whether they can trust it and feel confident about who sent it.”
She said email continued to play an important role because it offered a record that people could refer back to when needed.
“When something is important, people still turn to email because it carries a level of trust and legitimacy they don’t always associate with other channels.”
AI increasingly used to shape communication
The survey found that AI is becoming a routine part of how people communicate.
Among respondents who use AI, the most common uses were improving grammar and spelling and making messages sound more professional. Others said they use the technology to sound more confident, soften difficult messages or avoid awkward conversations.
Use of AI varied significantly by age. More than eight in 10 respondents aged 18 to 24 said they use AI in their daily communications, compared with 30 percent of those aged 65 and over.
Younger adults were also more likely to rely on AI when handling difficult interactions. One in five respondents aged 18 to 24 said they use AI to soften difficult messages, while 19 percent said they use it to avoid awkward conversations.
The research suggests that as AI-generated content becomes more common, organisations may need to place greater emphasis on transparency, authenticity and trusted communication channels to ensure important messages are recognised and acted upon.
Email remains the preferred channel for important information
Despite the growth of messaging platforms and social media, respondents continued to favour email for communications they may need to revisit.
More than half said email was their preferred channel for information they wanted to keep or refer back to later, while 39 percent said they had deliberately chosen email over another platform to create a permanent record. Email was also the preferred channel for formal complaints, important employer updates and job-related communications.
When assessing whether an email was genuine, respondents most commonly looked for full contact details, a professional company email address and a clear sender name.
The survey was conducted by OnePoll between 26 May and 2 June 2026 among 2,000 adults in the UK and US. The sample was nationally representative by age, gender and region in each market.
William Furney is a Managing Editor at Black and White Trading Ltd based in Kingston upon Hull, UK. He is a prolific author and contributor at Workplace Wellbeing Professional, with over 127 published posts covering HR, employee engagement, and workplace wellbeing topics. His writing focuses on contemporary employment issues including pension schemes, employee health, financial struggles affecting workers, and broader workplace trends.
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
- William Furney
