94% fear AI scams: Currys launches free classes for over-65s

For the AI industry, trust and accessibility remain top barriers to mass adoption, especially among older adults who control significant disposable income yet distrust new technology. Currys’ free classes, backed by Prue Leith’s own journey from AI avoider to daily Claude user, highlight a 94% scam fear rate—a clear signal that AI makers must prioritize intuitive safety features and invest in grassroots literacy if they want to unlock this underserved market.

British electronics retailer Currys has partnered with celebrity chef and former Bake Off judge Dame Prue Leith to launch free "AI Confidence Sessions" for over-65s, responding to alarming new research that reveals 94% of older Britons fear AI-powered scams. The initiative, announced on July 14, 2026, follows a successful pilot and is designed to demystify artificial intelligence through face-to-face classes in Currys stores, addressing a critical trust gap at a time when AI tools are becoming ubiquitous in everyday life.

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While 62% claim a basic understanding of AI, a staggering 68% lack confidence using tools like ChatGPT.

The survey underpinning the launch paints a stark picture: 10% of over-65s have lost money to scams in the past five years, with an average loss of £1,595 per victim, and over half (52%) receive suspected scam emails, texts or phone calls at least once a week. While 62% claim a basic understanding of AI, a staggering 68% lack confidence using tools like ChatGPT. This combination of acute fear and low self-efficacy highlights a demographic that is both vulnerable and underserved—a group that, despite significant spending power, remains on the sidelines of the AI revolution.

Dame Prue Leith, aged 86, embodies this transformation. She initially avoided AI, worried about confusion and scams, but after a pilot training session she began using Anthropic's Claude to refine recipes for her new book, asking the AI whether her instructions made sense to a non-baker. "Once somebody explained it properly, it suddenly felt far less frightening, and actually incredibly useful," she said. Her journey illustrates a broader point: older adults are not technophobes but cautious adopters who need tailored onboarding. The sessions aim to provide exactly that—a safe, judgment-free environment where participants can ask questions and practice with AI tools, including natural language models like Claude.

From an industry perspective, the initiative sits at the intersection of digital inclusion, cybersecurity, and AI literacy. The prevalence of AI-fuelled scams, from deepfake voice phishing to AI-generated email fraud, disproportionately targets older users who may be less familiar with the telltale signs of synthetic media. By offering free education, Currys positions itself as more than a gadget retailer—it becomes a community digital literacy hub, potentially building brand loyalty among a customer segment that values trust and human interaction. For AI developers and platform providers, the programme underscores the urgent need for built-in safety features, transparent design, and simplified interfaces that lower the barrier to entry for novice users.