Australians’ digital habits revealed in new Ipsos data

In Short:
– In May 2026, 21 million Australians accessed news platforms for an average of 3.3 hours online.
– Over 8 million Australians used AI services monthly, marking a 38% year-on-year increase.

A discussion among host Ahron Young, media journalist James Manning, and Simon Wake from Ipsos focused on Australian digital habits using Ipsos Iris data from May 2026.

In May, 21 million Australians aged 14 and over accessed news websites or apps, averaging 3.3 hours online for news consumption.

Despite growth stagnation for some major sites, the news market remains stable with nearly 900 brands, 58 of which have over one million monthly users.

Search engine usage is almost universal, with 99% of Australians using these platforms every month. Time spent searching has risen by 22% year-on-year, now averaging 11 hours monthly.

Over 8 million Australians engage with direct AI services like ChatGPT or Claude, marking a 38% to 40% increase from the previous year.

The effect of AI on the news sector is still unclear, though it may influence historical content more than breaking news.

Employment implications remain uncertain; however, some evidence indicates that companies investing in AI may have increased their workforce.

Other digital categories also saw growth, with career and jobs content rising by 6% year-on-year due to a strong jobs market.

Additionally, 6 million Australians visited cinema or event websites/apps in May, representing a 15% increase from the previous year.