Americans are hitting their limit with artificial intelligence in their media. According to iHeartMedia’s new report, The Human Consumer, people are desperate for authenticity and human connection. The study, unveiled at AudioCon 2025 in New York, found that 82 percent of Americans worry about AI’s impact on society and 9 in 10 say it matters that what they read, watch, or listen to is made by a real person.
The findings reveal a population overwhelmed by screens and algorithms. Almost everyone uses social media, but most say it leaves them feeling worse. Many even fantasize about switching to simpler phones without endless notifications. Lainie Fertick, iHeartMedia’s President of Insights, said consumers are emotionally driven, digitally tired, and craving something genuine.
Children are facing the same burnout. Three out of four say they prefer hanging out in person, yet most stay glued to screens late into the night. A third have already chatted with AI bots. Parents’ cautious habits and reliance on technology are shrinking kids’ independence. The study warns of a generation more fluent in machine interaction than human connection.
Americans are also losing faith in what they see online. Two-thirds admit algorithms shape what they believe, even as they keep scrolling through content designed to confirm their biases. Eighty-six percent say their feeds now show more ads than posts from people they know. Even wealthier families, once seen as the most connected, report feeling isolated and overexposed to targeted marketing.
The distrust reaches beyond social media. While 70 percent of respondents already use AI tools, three out of four say they do not want AI influencing their entertainment or news. Some even fear that AI could one day become an active threat. These numbers suggest that people value convenience but refuse to lose the human touch that makes content meaningful.
Bob Pittman, iHeartMedia’s CEO, said the data highlights a deeper truth. “Consumers are not just looking for convenience. They’re searching for meaning. Sports, radio, and live storytelling offer something algorithms cannot trust, empathy, and shared emotion.”
It is an insight that plays directly into iHeartMedia’s core strength. Radio and podcasts remain built on human voices and real-time connection. Listeners form relationships with hosts that feel personal and honest. That authenticity now stands out as a luxury in a digital world that often feels synthetic.
The message is clear: audiences want something real. In a time when everything sounds machine-made, genuine human content has become the rarest form of innovation.