Here are the topics Alex spoke to Radio 2CC’s breakfast host this week, with Stephen Cenatiempo in the chair for this Saturday’s edition!
1. The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, gave a landmark speech on Wednesday about AI, and how Australia will deal with it, the data centres, the copyright theft, and more. What did he actually say, and what does it all mean?
You can find the details at my iTWire.com post here.
2. With all the talk of AI data centres creating massive demand for computer memory and disk storage, we’ve been telling our listeners that prices for consumer electronics are going up, and we’ve spoken about how Apple and other companies have hiked prices, but now there’s news that a pretty well known smartphone brand is leaving stores in the West.
The smartphone brand that is being removed from Western markets is OnePlus, owned by Oppo, which is consolidating its brands to focus on its strongest – which is Oppo!
3. A few weeks ago we spoke about the new Oura smart ring that had just launched in its new 5th generation, smaller and lighter than ever before.
Here’s my iTWire article about the new Oura Ring.
4. On Thursday, a couple of days ago, it was the 5th anniversary of the first AI Appreciation Day, held on the 16th of July each year.
I’ve received a stack of commentary from various tech executives across Australia, you can read all of the comments at my iTWire.com article here.
5. The public beta test version of the iPhone’s operating system, iOS 27, was launched earlier this week, and you’ve been playing with it on your primary phone.
6. And just like you can adjust the voice of Siri on the new iOS, Google is preparing to do the same thing for its Gemini assistant.
Here’s what one of ChatGPT’s new voices is like:
7. And in yet more AI news, the makers of ChatGPT, OpenAI, have let some information leak about what their first AI gadget might be, one with no screen, with its design coming from John Ive, who for years was the chief designer of Apple.
More details here.
8. And a new poll from YouGov says 72% Australians use AI for search, but only 16% say it’s their primary starting point.
72% Australians use AI for search, but only 16% say it’s their primary starting point, YouGov finds
New research shows AI is becoming part of Australians’ everyday search, but trust remains the biggest barrier
Data from YouGov’s new report ‘How AI is changing online discovery in 2026’ reveals that more than one in three (36%) Australian online searchers now start at least one new search every day with an AI assistant, suggesting that AI has become a mainstream part of the search journey.
The findings suggest that while traditional search engines remain the dominant gateway to online information, AI assistants have become an established part of how Australians discover and evaluate information online, particularly among younger generations.
Nearly six in 10 (59%) Gen Z Australians and almost half (48%) of Millennials start at least one new search query each day using an AI assistant, compared with just 14% of Baby Boomers. Overall, 72% of Australian online searchers now use AI assistants to some extent when looking for information.
Australians are adding AI to search, not replacing it
The research shows that AI is complementing rather than replacing traditional search. Among Australians who use AI for search, just 16% say it is their primary starting point. Instead, most (43%) use AI alongside other sources, while a further 25% use it after consulting search engines or other information sources.
Among Australians who use AI for search, the most common use is getting a direct answer to a question (50%), followed by summarising information (37%), verifying information from other sources (35%) and comparing options (35%).
Importantly, AI-generated answers are rarely the end of the journey. Nearly one-third (31%) typically click through to the links provided by AI, while 26% compare the information with other websites before making decisions. Only 15% say they usually stop searching after receiving an AI-generated answer.
AI use is accelerating but trust still lags
AI use continues to grow among existing users. Six in 10 (60%) Australian AI users say they use AI assistants more today than they did a year ago, while more than half (53%) expect to increase their use over the next 12 months.
Despite the enthusiasm, trust remains a significant hurdle. Only 39% of Australian online searchers trust information provided by AI assistants, well below traditional search engines and maps. Even among AI users, fewer than half (49%) say they trust AI-generated information.
Australians are also clear about what would improve confidence in AI-generated answers. The strongest trust signals include clear explanations of how answers are produced (18%), official sources (16%), and links or citations that allow users to verify information themselves (15%).
Brands need to rethink discoverability
As AI assistants become an increasingly common starting point for online discovery, the research suggests consumers are developing more complex search behaviours, moving between AI, search engines, websites and other digital platforms before making decisions. For brands, discoverability will increasingly depend not only on being found, but on being recognised as a trustworthy source wherever consumers choose to search.
