Gen Z’s Complicated Relationship with AI
They’re not freaking out, but they’re not oblivious either
“Ugh, why is this even here?” When Snapchat rolled out its My AI chatbot in 2023, Gen Z users weren’t exactly thrilled. In fact, they rebelled – the app’s reviews flooded with 1-star ratings as teens and young adults balked at a virtual friend pinned to their chat feed.
“Why can’t [AI] understand this? Why can’t they read my mind?” some complained.
This dramatic backlash to a friendly chatbot highlights the complex relationship between Gen Z and artificial intelligence. They’ve grown up surrounded by AI – from the algorithms curating their TikTok feeds to voice assistants doing homework Q&As, but do they actually care about the AI behind the curtain?
AI – Study Buddy or Shortcut?
One area where AI’s influence on Gen Z has been profound is education. Today’s students have a buffet of AI tools at their fingertips, and they’re not shy about sampling them.
Need a quick summary of a dense reading? An app can do that
Stuck on a calculus problem? An AI tutor might help
It…
