Most UK adults have tried generative AI or an automated chatbot in the last year, yet fewer than one in twelve used those tools to sort out a telecoms bill, outage or package change, according to Ofcom research published in late September.
What people actually use AI for
The regulator’s Technology Tracker, based on face-to-face interviews with more than 4,000 adults conducted by Ipsos, found that 48% had used generative AI tools such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini, while 23% had engaged with AI customer-service chatbots.
Within telecoms specifically, 6% said they used AI to resolve a service issue, 3% to compare prices or products, and 2% to lodge a complaint. The figures suggest that, for now, AI is a general-purpose curiosity rather than the first port of call when Wi-Fi drops or a mobile bill spikes.
Ofcom’s regulatory stance
Ofcom said it has seen limited evidence that AI applications are a systemic cause of harm in telecoms markets. Existing consumer-protection rules still apply, and the watchdog expects providers to keep human support channels accessible when automated systems cannot resolve a case.
The discussion paper ties into the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which asked regulators to show how they enable growth while managing risk. Ofcom’s parallel work on network resilience, published this week, stresses that outages often stem from power or weather dependencies rather than chatbots.
Why the gap may narrow
Providers are experimenting with AI for fault diagnosis and retention offers. As models improve at reading account data securely, the 8% figure could rise quickly—especially among younger households already comfortable with general-purpose assistants.
Consumer groups caution that transparency matters: callers need to know when they are speaking to a bot, and vulnerable customers must not be trapped in loops that block escalation to a person.
What customers should expect
Until Ofcom sees harm patterns change, enforcement will focus on clarity and access rather than banning AI assistants outright. For households, the practical advice is unchanged: keep screenshots of fault timestamps and reference numbers, whether the first response came from a human or an algorithm.
Small business angle
Sole traders relying on home broadband for video calls may never touch a chatbot, yet their providers still route them through the same AI triage as large firms. Ofcom’s sample included 16-year-olds and retirees, so the 8% figure may understate adoption among tech-heavy households.