April 28, 2026
Welcome to The L@B Report
Welcome to this month’s issue of The L@B Report from GSG, where we track news and insights at the intersection of digital media and public affairs. In this edition, we examine new data about how Americans encounter news, the role of AI chatbots in media distribution, and Gen Z’s complicated relationship with AI.
This issue of The L@B Report was compiled by Ryan Alexander.
In the News
Americans Aren’t Searching for News—It’s Coming to Them
Passive consumption becomes the norm.
New data from Pew Research Center reinforces a core dynamic we’ve been tracking: Americans are far more likely to come across news incidentally than to actively seek it out.
A majority say they “often” or “sometimes” encounter news while doing other things online, such as scrolling social media, watching videos, or browsing unrelated content. Fewer say they regularly go out of their way to find news directly.
These fresh insights largely confirm what GSG’s own work in this space revealed last year in our 2025 Media Consumption Report and subsequent L@B Reports.
Takeaway
The implications are significant. In a fragmented media environment, algorithms and platform design increasingly determine what information people see and do not see. News consumption is becoming more passive, more personalized, and more dependent on intermediaries.
The idea of a “news audience” actively seeking information is fading. For communicators, this means messages must be designed to meet people in feeds, formats, and platforms where they are consuming a variety of content.
AI Chatbots Become Media Gatekeepers
A new distribution layer emerges.
As reported in Axios Media Trends, AI chatbots are quickly evolving from search engines to interfaces that help users discover, create, and consume content all within the same environment. This shift is reshaping how media companies think about distribution.
For example, Tubi, a streaming platform, recently launched a native app within ChatGPT, allowing users to browse and watch its catalog directly through the interface. Ticketmaster has integrated ticket browsing and purchasing into ChatGPT, while platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Beehiiv are enabling users to manage content, discover media, and interact with their accounts through AI assistants.
Takeaway
The old content distribution model assumed a funnel—you created content, and search and social drove people to it. That model is collapsing at the top. According to data cited in Axios’ 2025 Media Trends Report, search engine referrals dropped by 64 million between February 2024 and February 2025, while AI chatbot referrals grew by only 5.5 million, meaning AI is absorbing the audience, not redirecting it.
For media entities and brands alike, the AI layer means you can no longer rely on distribution to do the work; you must now consider how content surfaces within AI ecosystems. The new model is to build content so authoritative and specific that AI systems cite you, own the direct relationship with your audience (through tactics like email, newsletters, and social), and differentiate strongly enough that no AI summary can substitute for the real thing.
Gen Z’s Complicated Relationship With AI
Comfortable using it, but uneasy about it.
A recent New York Times article, drawing on Gallup data, offers insight into how Gen Z uses and feels about artificial intelligence:
The percentage of respondents ages 14 to 29 who said they felt hopeful about A.I. declined sharply since last year, down to 18 percent from 27. Young adults’ excitement about artificial intelligence dropped, too, and nearly a third of respondents indicated that the technology made them feel angry.
[…]
In the study, about half of young people reported using A.I. on either a daily or weekly basis, similar to the previous year.
On one hand, Gen Z is highly comfortable using AI tools in everyday life. AI is less of a novelty and more of a built-in feature of their digital environment.
At the same time, that familiarity doesn’t translate into blind trust. Many young users express concern—or even anger—about AI.
Takeaway
Gen Z’s relationship with AI is defined by both adoption and skepticism.
There is an underlying awareness that while AI can be helpful, it can also mislead when it comes to news, images, and information credibility. In addition, as Gen Z enters the labor market, many feel uneasy about the possibility of AI replacing jobs.
For companies, brands, and communicators, that means Gen Z expects clarity on how AI is being used and deployed both in the workplace and in public-facing, consumer environments. Building trust will depend not on avoiding AI but on using it transparently and responsibly.
More from GSG
Last month at the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) Pollie Awards and Conference, GSG took home multiple honors—including Pollster of the Year, awarded to Partner Angela Kuefler.
The recognition capped a standout 2025 cycle, with Angela helping power two historic gubernatorial victories: electing the first Democratic woman governor in New Jersey and the first woman governor in Virginia. These wins reflect the strength of our team and the power of smart, strategic research in today’s toughest campaigns.