A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) reveals that ChatGPT, one of the world’s most popular AI tools, draws most heavily on the Guardian, Reuters, and the Independent when answering news queries. These three outlets were cited far more frequently than any others, with the Guardian alone appearing in 58 per cent of ChatGPT’s responses.

The research, which compared how four leading AI tools — ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews — source their news, found that the BBC, the UK’s most popular and trusted news outlet, was missing entirely from both ChatGPT and Gemini. In contrast, Google’s AI Overview and Perplexity included the BBC in a significant share of their responses, while Gemini also relied most on the Guardian.

IPPR attributes these differences to a mix of licensing agreements, content blocks, and unclear rules about how AI companies access news. Some publishers, like the Guardian, have struck deals with AI firms, while others, including the BBC, have chosen to restrict access — leading to a patchwork of sources and perspectives.

The think tank warns that this uneven sourcing could narrow the range of viewpoints users encounter and may impact the financial sustainability of quality journalism, as AI-generated answers can reduce traffic to news sites. IPPR recommends government action to ensure fair payment for news, introduce clear "nutrition labels" for AI-generated content, and support public interest journalism in the AI era.

This article was drafted by an AI assistant before it was edited by a human.

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Written by

Jacob Granger
Jacob Granger
Jacob Granger is the community editor of JournalismUK

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