Brits turn to AI for help with meal planning, car maintenance, and understanding politics

A poll of 2,000 adults found other aspects of grown-up life they struggle with include meal planning, keeping plants alive and understanding politics. They also have difficulty getting to grips with car maintenance, managing finances, and getting out of bed on time. Three in 10 have attempted to learn more about these aspects of adult life, seeking advice from the internet (45%), friends and family (61%), and books (23%).

But it’s not just Gen Zs who struggle with meeting the demands of being a responsible adult (52%). Millennials (47%), a quarter of Gen Xs and 10% of Boomers also find they need help.

Milena Nikolic, founder of new AI powered search engine Heywa, which commissioned the research for the launch of its Online Languages campaign, said: “From cooking to DIY to managing finances, a lot of us still feel like we’re learning on the job.

“People have all sorts of ways they use AI and I’ve always believed that the process of searching for information should feel inspiring. So often our search ends with a sterile list but we aim to make things simpler, clearer and more accessible.”

The study found 11% of participants use AI for adulting tasks on a daily basis, with 49% of participants in total having used it at least once.

People believe the most useful ways AI can help with grown-up responsibilities include turning complex instructions into step-by-step guides (32%), explaining jargon in plain English (27%) and creating visual explainers for DIY or cooking (25%).

Many believe there are parts of daily life in 2026 which should be automated. These include tasks such as reading a gas or electricity meter (21%), finding the best rates and prices for purchases (18%) and managing finances and budgeting (17%).

ChatGPT is now the third most common platform people use for online searching (24%), below YouTube (32%) and Google (65%).

Nearly half of those polled via OnePoll say the way they search online – the language style, how organised their search sessions are – reflects their personality.

Over a third opt for short exchanges to get the information as quickly as possible, whereas 16% prefer a more courteous approach, making sure they phrase everything politely.

Consumer psychologist and behaviouralist, Kate Nightingale, who partnered with Heywa, added: “Everyone has their own unique ‘Online Language’ and as this research shows, people don’t just want answers – they want guidance in a way that fits their personality and lifestyle.

“We’ve identified five Online Languages – from the Talk It Out Conversationalist to the Moodboard Visualist – to help Brits understand their search style and get the most out of every search session.”