Recently the CEO of Soul Zhang Lu got her team to conduct a survey meant to study the impact of artificial intelligence, and the technologies based on it such as AIGC, on the personal and professional lives of Gen Z. Because Soul App is particularly popular among youngsters in China, such surveys help the social platform to enhance its features and services and make them more relevant for its user base.

Moreover, 80% of Soul users are from the post-00 cohort, so the responses to the survey are an accurate indication of how youngsters feel about using AIGC products and the ways in which they are bringing the innovative technology into their lives.

The survey was conducted by Just So Soul, a division of Soul App that is responsible for research and analysis. Just So Soul received over 3400 valid survey responses.

Around 90% of these responses came from Zoomers and the answers shed light on various aspects of AIGC usage by youngsters and their overall attitude towards the technology. Of those who sent in valid responses, 90% had used AIGC products and Zoomers knew the most about AIGC.

For the purpose of this survey, Soul Zhang Lu’s team used the definition of AIGC given by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology. They called AIGC a set of technologies designed to create content with minimal human inputs, as such the Academy also described AIGC as a type of content and even as an approach to creating content.

That said, few of those surveyed knew about this academic concept of AIGC. In fact, 70% of the respondents admitted that they only had a limited understanding of what AIGC actually is, how it works and its complete potential. Those who had used multiple AIGC products or had taken the time out to study their applications were generally in their twenties.

Having said that, fewer than 5% of the people surveyed said that they had never been exposed to an AIGC product. Of all available AIGC applications, those capable of text generation and human-computer interaction like ChatGPT were the most frequently used and well accepted, with nearly 66% respondents stating that they had used such AI-powered chatbots.

The survey done by the team of Soul Zhang Lu also revealed that a growing number of youngsters are now focused on using AIGC in both professional and personal settings. For instance, around 20% youngsters reported using AIGC products daily while about 6% stated that they were adept at using AIGC products, including industry specific applications.

In terms of sectorial usage of AIGC, young professionals in media, marketing and advertising, creative pursuits, art and communication were the most frequent users of AIGC tools. Also the technology has found a firm footing in learning and academia. In a way the widespread acceptance of AIGC was to be expected given the constant exposure that Gen Z has had to emerging technologies.

Actually, the ease and excitement with which Zoomers have embraced the AI-revolution is primarily attributed to their comfort level with new technologies. In fact, this is what drives them to experiment with the potential of artificial intelligence as it applies to both the professional and personal space.

As far as business use goes, around 10% of the respondents said that they had already found ways to make money with AIGC while nearly 43% stated that they intended to use AIGC to generate earnings. In terms of how Gen Z feels about the business and professional applications of AIGC, over 60% reported being neutral but given the rising popularity and growing uses of the technology, chances are that in the near future they will shift to the positive direction.

Having said that, over 45% already like the way in which AIGC tools can be put to use at work while approximately 18% appreciate everything that the technology brings to the table. Only about 2% reported disliking the technology.

The negativity possibly stems from certain concerns that the sheer power of artificial intelligence has given rise to. For example, worries about loss of employment is a recurring theme that has prevailed since ChatGPT and others tools like it burst onto the scene.

Of the people who participated in Soul Zhang Lu’s survey, around 43% stated that the very real prospect of job loss is their number one fear when it comes to the perils of AI. Around 38% of the respondents were concerned about the quality of the content generated by AIGC tools while 20% feared that AIGC technology would create data security issues and privacy concerns.

On the plus side, these concerns were more than balanced by the nearly 63% participants who admitted that AIGC applications have brought greater efficiency to their work life and the 54% respondents who stated that AI has made their life more convenient.

When it came to personal uses of AIGC products, about 60% of the Soul Zhang Lu survey participants said that they had used social networking products powered by AI. Also, over 30% admitted that they found the prospect of befriending an AI chatbot exciting. Another notable result of the survey was that nearly 44% of the respondents asserted that AI had the capability to offer emotional companionship and one half of all participants claimed that AIGC products can be used to tackle loneliness.

So, all things considered, the survey from the team of Soul Zhang Lu certainly managed to clarify that while some concerns about AI continue to bother young minds, on the whole, there is widespread acceptance and appreciation for the technology. In fact, Just So Soul confirmed that as compared to the results of a similar study conducted in 2023, the responses to the 2024 survey showed that youngsters are now more optimistic about AIGC.