Lisbon, June 16, 2026 (Lusa) - Trust in news obtained through artificial intelligence (AI) systems in Portugal stands at 24%, below the level of trust placed in news in general, according to the Digital News Report Portugal 2026 (DNRPT26) published on Tuesday.
For the first time, “the report systematically analyses the role of artificial intelligence chatbots in citizens’ relationship with information”, states the 12th annual report produced by OberCom – the Communication Observatory – in partnership with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) at the University of Oxford.
“Trust in news obtained through these systems stands at 24%, above social media (21%), but well below the trust placed in news in general (51%) and search engines (40%),” the study notes.
The use of chatbots “for news purposes remains limited, being used mainly to summarise content, answer questions or provide context, rather than as a direct substitute for journalism”, with their uses “coinciding with trends in exploration, discovery and experimentation with the technology”.
The results “suggest that artificial intelligence currently functions more as an additional layer of mediation than as an alternative to news brands”.
The report also indicates that digital creators and influencers are gaining relevance among younger people.
“The study also identifies the growing importance of content creators and influencers specialising in news and current affairs. Among the users who follow them, these creators are often perceived as more accessible, closer and easier to understand than traditional media," it adds.
Conventional media "continue, however, to enjoy clear advantages in terms of trust, impartiality and credibility".
The study’s findings “suggest not a replacement of journalism, but a reorganisation of the information ecosystem, particularly among younger audiences”.
As for digital news payments, these remain negligible in Portugal, which poses a major challenge for the Portuguese media.
"Only 8% of Portuguese people say they have paid for online news over the past year, a figure that places the country among the European markets least likely to directly fund journalistic content," the study highlights.
Despite the small size of the user base, "those who pay exhibit relatively stable behaviour, based mainly on continuous subscription models," it concludes.
The study, which includes data from 48 markets and more than 97,000 respondents worldwide, paints a detailed picture of the news consumption habits of Portuguese internet users, with a representative national sample of 2,024 respondents.
The data was collected between 6 January and 20 February 2026.
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