ITV report examines everyday AI use and warns on trust, companionship and costs

A special report has examined how artificial intelligence is already part of everyday life for millions of people in the UK, while experts warned that users should be cautious about what the technology tells them. The segment followed Prince Harry's intervention in New York, where he joined concerns about protecting children online. But the main focus was on ordinary uses of AI in personal life and business.

The report found that many people are using AI for practical tasks. One person described using it to create a meal plan ideal for recovery after knee surgery. Another used it to write emails. A seller said they ask AI how many bikinis and other items they have sold, what to restock and what not to, and then count cash, with the system telling them if they are over or under. The seller said it saves a lot of time.

Even seasoned users sounded a note of caution. One said AI can be confidently wrong because it produces answers from huge amounts of data. Users were advised to remember they are testing the knowledge and making the decision, and to check everything before it goes anywhere.

The report also looked at companionship. Maureen, a pensioner who lives alone, was trying an AI companion designed for elderly people. It helped with exercise ideas, reminders to take medication and water plants, and remembered that she had had a bad night's sleep. Maureen said she appreciated the technology but did not think it could be what she would call a companion.

In California, businessman Bill Nguyen has given AI a much larger role. His assistant, Olive, manages his calendar and email, and replies to messages on his behalf using personal information he has supplied. He said he no longer replies to those emails himself and described the arrangement as the most freeing experience of his life. Asked whether Olive could go rogue, he said things will go wrong and mistakes have probably already happened, but the upside is worth some risk.

The report heard concerns that relying on AI could leave people less smart, slower and lazier. One warning was that users could become so reliant on these systems that they effectively hand power over to them. Another major concern was the environmental cost. AI needs enormous computing power, and the data centres that house servers demand vast amounts of land, energy and water. The report said it is tempting to use generative AI when a calculator would do, but the environmental impact is much greater, and people need to think more carefully about what they use AI for and why.

The dire warnings about the end of humanity are unsettling, the report concluded, but there are already plenty of reasons to take care when using AI and to keep some boundaries between human and machine. A fuller investigation is due to be broadcast tomorrow, with a related programme later tonight.