A growing number of Indians are now depending on Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and social media influencers for their daily news, shared in the 2025 Digital News Report published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

The findings are based on a large-scale survey of 1 lakh people across 48 countries, showing big changes in the way Indians are consuming news, especially among young, internet-connected audiences.

Decline in traditional sources

The report notes a drop in how much people are engaging with traditional platforms such as television, newspapers, and news websites. Instead, platforms like YouTube and news aggregator apps are becoming more popular.

Interestingly, over 50% of English-speaking Indians with internet access said they sometimes avoid the news altogether.

Influencers rise as news voices

Influencers on platforms like Instagram and YouTube are now being seen as reliable news sources, especially by younger people. Globally, creators such as Joe Rogan and HugoDécrypte are reaching millions, and the same trend is growing in countries like India, Thailand, Kenya, and the Philippines.

Video-based, personality-led content is becoming more attractive than traditional, text-heavy news.

Young viewers prefer social media

The report shows that 41% of people aged 18–34 rely on YouTube and social media as their main source of news, while only 24% of the same age group prefer using publisher websites. This change is forcing many media organisations to rethink how they connect with younger audiences.

AI tools gaining trust

Tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity AI are becoming more widely used for simplifying and summarising news content. In India, these AI platforms are the most commonly used for personalised news, with 44% of people saying they are comfortable using AI for news-related tasks. Nearly 1 in 5 users said they access news through AI chatbots every week.

WhatsApp and misinformation

While apps like WhatsApp are viewed as safer spaces for news sharing in many countries, India stands out as an exception. According to the report, large group chats on WhatsApp have been involved in spreading fake news and have even led to incidents of mob violence.

Shockingly, around 11% of Indian users believe that even their own friends and family play a role in spreading misinformation.