According to a new representative survey, 53 percent of Germans now use generative AI tools. While younger people lead adoption rates, concerns about fake news and election manipulation are growing.
The survey by TÜV - Germany's technical inspection association and leading safety certification organization - shows major differences in AI usage across age groups. Among 16-35 year olds, 78 percent use AI tools. This drops to 55 percent for those aged 36-55, and only 26 percent for those 56-75. Gender differences are also notable - 60 percent of men use AI applications compared to 45 percent of women.
AI applications are gaining ground in work environments, particularly for text editing and research tasks. However, almost half of users say they only partially trust the results.
Democracy and media concerns
The third TÜV ChatGPT study reveals deep concerns about AI's impact on democracy and media. 87 percent fear AI-generated fake images and videos could manipulate voters. 83 percent believe AI technology greatly accelerates the spread of false information.
TÜV is calling for measures to ensure trustworthy AI systems and protect democracy. These include clear guidelines for AI use in political campaigns, voluntary commitments from political parties, and specific actions from social media platforms. The organization also wants quick completion of Germany's implementation rules for the EU AI Act, despite the current government crisis.
90 percent of Germans want mandatory transparency and labeling requirements for AI-generated content. 83 percent consider independent safety testing of AI systems important to ensure products and applications are safe and ethically sound.
However, two-thirds of Germans don't trust politicians to effectively regulate AI risks.
