Ipsos - who do Brits trust? Doctors and scientists lead the pack, as for the first time polling reveals “AI chatbots” pips Politicians on trust.

• AI Chatbots (15%) pip Politicians (11%) and social media influencers (11%) on trust, as they remain one of the least trusted figures by the British public.  
• 6 in 10 (62%) of Britons consider government ministers to be untrustworthy, a continued trend of a lack of confidence in political decision makers.
• Over 6 in 10 (64%) of Brits view doctors as trustworthy, making them the most trusted profession in Great Britain of professions asked in this series.  

London, UK. New global polling data from the 2026 Ipsos Global Trustworthiness Index, conducted among over 23,000 adults across 31 countries between 19 June and 3 July 2026, reveals a sharp divide in how the British public perceives the integrity and reliability of different professions.  

Against a backdrop of ongoing economic and institutional scrutiny, medical and scientific professionals continue to command high public confidence, whilst political and digital figures struggle for credibility.  

CEO of Ipsos of the UK and Ireland, Trinh Tu, commented on LinkedIn:

In our low trust environment, doctors, scientists and teachers remain the most trusted professions globally.  

For the first time, we have asked about AI chatbots role in trust as well.

In Britain, 15% say AI chatbots are trustworthy, compared with just 11% who say the same of politicians. Neither is a high level of trust. Half of Britons consider AI chatbots untrustworthy, rising to two-thirds for politicians. But the comparison is striking.

It raises a bigger question about where people look for reliable information, advice and answers, and what they expect from the institutions and technologies increasingly shaping our lives.

The striking point is not that people trust AI chatbots. Most do not. It is that a technology many people remain deeply sceptical about still ranks slightly ahead of politicians on trust.

Medical and scientific professionals maintain resilience when it comes public confidence and trust.

The latest findings underscore a distinct public preference for empirical expertise, with healthcare and research occupations dominating higher levels of trust in Great Britain.

• 64% of Britons view doctors as trustworthy, placing them at the very peak of the national ranking of the professions asked in this series.
• 61% of the public express trust in scientists, reflecting resilience in respect for technical expertise.  
• Conversely, professions such as advertising executives (52% untrustworthy) and AI chatbots (50 % untrustworthy) face significant public scepticism when it comes to trust in the profession and use.  

Political and social media influencers continue to anchor the bottom of the index 

Public trust in political leadership and emerging digital platforms remains low with traditional authority figures continuing to struggle to increase trust.  

• Politicians generally rank as the least trusted group in the country, with only 11% viewing them as trustworthy against 67% who consider them untrustworthy. 
• That is compared to AI Chatbots at 15% of Brits viewing the tool as trustworthy, and 50% as untrustworthy.
• Social media influencers perform similarly poorly, with only 11% of Britons expressing trust in them, while 64% view them as untrustworthy.  
• Government ministers fare little better, with 62% of the British public finding them untrustworthy compared to just 12% who place trust in them.  

Notes: 

• For media queries, please contact the Ipsos in the UK Press Office at [email protected]  
• For the full findings, please visit the Ipsos website.  
• Ipsos interviewed a representative sample of 23,537 online adults under the age of 75 across 31 countries, including Great Britain. Polling was conducted online between 19 June and 3 July 2026.
• The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals in Great Britain - individuals aged between 16-74
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population. All polls are subject to a wide range of potential sources of error.