Tag: Pure Telecom

370,000 adults in Ireland have a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot

Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, today announces the results of its annual Connected Lives survey which reveals 370,000 adults in Ireland have engaged in a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot within the last 12 months. The research indicates a growing interest in AI for romantic connections, with a further 12% of adults – almost half-a-million people – revealing they wouldn’t rule it out in the future.

The nationally representative survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom, surveying 1,001 adults in Ireland. The research examines the evolving relationship between humans and AI, in particular their personal relationships with chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini. As the lines between humans and technology become increasingly blurred, chatbots have opened the door for people to explore a new form of emotional connection.

Much like with human partners, AI ‘relationships’ are formed when an individual develops a sense of attachment to an AI chatbot through the sharing of daily experiences and engaging in deep conversations. The bot reciprocates this affection and can recall previous conversations, thus building a rapport and reinforcing the recipient’s perception of a relationship.

Pure Telecom’s research revealed that in the last 12 months, 13% of men have conducted a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot. This is almost double the 7% reported by women. Across age groups, the figure was highest among 25-34-year-olds at 16%.

The survey also indicated an openness among many to conduct a romantic relationship with an AI chatbot at some point in time. Almost half-a-million (12% of adults) wouldn’t rule out a relationship with an AI bot in the future. In keeping with this outlook, 20% believe romantic relationships with AI would be less complicated than humans ones. A further 10% maintain romantic relationships with AI are a good way to practice real life relationships. This belief is higher among men at 16% in comparison to women at just 6%.

The humanisation of chatbots doesn’t end there. Almost one in five (19%) of adults speak to AI like it’s a friend, while 36% admit to saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to their AI chatbot. Furthermore, 18% use it to research health symptoms and treatments, while one-in-10 use it as a form of therapy and to get life advice. The same proportion use it to prepare for difficult conversations, like a break-up or confrontation.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “This research highlights the pivotal role that AI is beginning to play not just in our professional lives, but our personal ones also. As people and technology become increasingly integrated, and AI becomes progressively more advanced, adults in Ireland have found it to be an unexpected source of emotional connection. The recent AI boom means that these bots are now readily accessible to all of us – and there’s no agony of waiting around for a reply!

“While relationships with bots may seem unconventional, it underscores the remarkable capacity of artificial intelligence to foster connections as it becomes increasingly responsive to our needs. The use of these large language models (LLMs) requires fast, reliable internet access and as a provider of this, we at Pure Telecom are excited by the possibilities that AI unlocks. However, it is no replacement for the rewarding spontaneity and depth of human connection.”

35% of gamers in Ireland say that online gaming is good for their mental health

Pure Telecom, the Irish high-speed broadband company, today announces the results of a survey, which found that 35% of gamers in Ireland believe that online gaming benefits their mental health by providing an outlet for stress relief. The research also found that male gamers are spending almost an hour more on their hobby per day than female gamers.

The survey of 1,006 adults in Ireland was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom as part of its Connected Lives study. The survey explored the proliferation of online gaming in Ireland and its impact on people’s lives, spending and mental health. It found that 50% of Irish adults identify as online gamers – in other words, those who play video games that require an internet connection. This rises to 75% for those aged 18 to 24.

The survey revealed that the average gamer in Ireland spends €180.30 per year on online gaming. That includes money spent on new games, add-ons, in-game purchases and consoles. Again, this increases significantly for 18- to 24-year-olds, who spend an average of €291.50 per year. The research found that male gamers are also more likely to dig deep to fund their online gaming hobby than female gamers are, spending €260 versus €132.50 per year.

This theme continues with regard to the amount of time being spent on online gaming. On the average day, male gamers spend two hours and 20 minutes playing online games, compared to one hour 26 minutes for female gamers. The average among the entire online gaming community is one hour and 47 minutes per day – a stark increase from the average one hour 10 minutes per day in Pure Telecom’s 2022 survey findings.

Pure Telecom’s research also provided insights into why online gaming has such widespread appeal – and why adults are dedicating significant proportions of their days to it. In addition to the perceived mental health benefits, the survey found that 21% of gamers enjoy the social aspect of online gaming, while 19% believe it enhances their problem-solving skills. Despite these merits, gamers who say online gaming is their main hobby are in the minority, with just 16% saying this is the case.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “The findings from our research demonstrate the significant and multifaceted impact that online gaming is having on our society. Online gaming is not only an outlet for entertainment, but also provides a space for people to build connections, have a chat with other gamers and look after their mental wellbeing. These findings are consistent with recent research* which shows that gamers can perform better and faster at cognitive challenges.

“Many of the most popular video games being played today rely on an internet connection. We see the effects of this in Pure Telecom, with download volumes spiking on days when there are big gaming releases. Knowing the growing popularity of online gaming, we are dedicated to providing the fastest broadband speeds available in Ireland so our customers can enjoy the multitude of benefits they experience from online gaming – uninterrupted.”

60% of adults under 35 would like a job as an influencer

A new survey from Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, has revealed that 60% of adults in Ireland aged under 35 would like a job as a social media influencer as a source of income. In total, 48% of the adult population would consider a job as a social media influencer.

The research, conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom as part of its Connected Lives survey, examined how people in Ireland use social media and their attitude towards influencers.

The research found that of those who expressed an interest in pursuing a job as an influencer – and who have full-time jobs – 56% believe they would earn more money than they do now. This means that 27% of full-time employees in Ireland believe that they could earn more money as a social media influencer than they do in their current job.

The top reasons given for wanting to be a social media influencer are having an interest in it (49%) and getting free products and services (32%). On the other hand, the top reasons given by those who would steer clear of an influencing career were a lack of interest (38%), followed by a belief that they would not be good at it (37%), as well as privacy concerns and the pressure of public scrutiny (30%).

The survey showed insights into the effect of social media influencers on our shopping habits. Over two in five (44%) of social media users said that influencers have an impact their purchasing decisions and choices.

This impact was most noticeable among Generation Z (those aged 26 and younger), with nearly just over half (54%) reporting that influencers impact such decisions. As the age profile increased, the impact waned – still, more than a third (34%) of Baby Boomers (aged 59-77) said their choices had been swayed by influencers.

While not everyone can be an influencer, Pure Telecom’s research found that we are a nation of frequent social media posters. Nearly half (45%) of the population said that they post at least once a week on their chosen social media platforms.

More than one-in-10 (12%) post on social media every day or more, rising to 16% for Baby Boomers, who are the most likely generation to post daily.

The potential consequences of posting too much were also laid bare, with nearly half (47%) of social media users revealing that they mute people if their posts become irritating.

It appears nobody is safe in this regard, with nearly one in three (32%) social media users admitting to muting a friend and one in five (21%) having done the same to a family member. In more extreme cases, one-in-10 have actually ended a friendship due to someone’s social media posts, and 5% had ended a romantic relationship.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “These figures show that online influencing has become a mainstream career consideration for many as we see an entire generation of digital natives becoming hard-working adults. Increased connectivity means that we can consume media wherever we are. With that ease of access, people are now turning to influencers for tips and inspiration on the things that are important to them – be that feeling good about themselves, cooking nutritious family meals or simply having a laugh. So, is it any wonder that so many of us want to use our talents, knowledge or interests and make a career out of them while making people happy at the same time?

 “Whether people want to be in front of the camera influencing or behind the screen watching, we at Pure Telecom are committed to providing the connectivity to make it happen.”

One-in-five voters have changed their ballot choices based on social media posts

Pure Telecom, Ireland’s high-speed broadband and telecoms provider, today announces the results of its annual Connected Lives survey, which shows that one-in-five (19%) voters have changed their voting choice based on posts they have seen on social media. The research found that this is significantly higher for younger voters, with 28% of those aged 18 to 24 saying social media has led to them changing their ballot preference.

The nationally representative survey of 1,006 adults in Ireland was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Pure Telecom. It examined the growing crossover between politics and social media and how that is impacting public opinion. In doing so, the research found that 38% of adults in Ireland believe that social media is now the most important political campaigning platform, rising to 47% for those aged 18 to 24.

The research shows that many adults turn to social media to keep themselves informed on political discourse. Of those who use social media (85%), more than a quarter (26%) credit it with helping them to see alternative political points of view, while 32% say it supports their knowledge of election and referendum issues. Despite this, just 41% of social media users fact-check political social media content, while 27% will only follow people and accounts whose political opinions they agree with.

Pure Telecom’s survey showed that there is an appetite for politicians to have a presence on social media, with many saying they would like to see more of it. Almost half (49%) of adults who use social media said they like politicians to use it because it makes them more accessible, while 49% like them to use social media as it keeps them up-to-date on their progress and opinions.

It’s not just election issues that adults in Ireland are interested in seeing from politicians. Almost half (47%) of social media users would like politicians to give more personal insights on social platforms to make them more relatable. Meanwhile, one-third of adults (33%) believe that politicians should make TikTok videos to appeal to younger generations. This rises to 45% for those aged 18 to 24.

When it comes to voicing their own opinions, the population is less sure. While 27% of men who use social media say they share their political opinions on social media, just 13% of women do it.

Paul Connell, CEO, Pure Telecom, said: “Social media is making politics more accessible to the general public, while also helping people to get up-to-speed on important political issues. It can help the population to stay informed on local issues and developments, while also having a greater awareness of national issues, elections and referenda. However, with so many admitting to being influenced politically by social media, it is incumbent on all of us to make sure we carry out some fact-checking before forming an opinion.

“With voters set to return to the ballot boxes at least twice over the next 12 months, staying connected and informed will be important for all of us in deciding which way to vote. At Pure Telecom, by providing high-speed broadband connectivity to any location in the country, we are proud to empower people to make the choices that are right for them.”

 

The research was conducted by Censuswide, among a sample of 1006 ROI Consumers, aged 18+. The data was collected between 26.03.2024 – 28.03.2024. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.