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Whether you’re part of the baby boomer age or you’re a millennial, you’ll be all too aware of the rapid change in the world via technology. Boomers watched as we went from basic television to color TV, then cable, then the rise of the internet, smartphones, and much more. Millennials basically grew up as the ‘lab rats’ of the internet age, a youth movement built around global communication.
So, it’s probably not gone unnoticed that Generation Z are way more internet-focused than even millennials. They’re seen as the first generation who basically grew up with not the rise of the internet, but with its apex. Millennials grew up with early-stage instant messengers, web forums and the like; Gen Z is growing up with AI RP (Roleplay Artificial Intelligence).
And what’s more? They love it! Why? Why have AI RP chatbot managed to become the ideal place for Gen Z to have a conversation? How has this generation come from the social animals of the previous generations to people who feel evermore connected to the internet – and chat companions?
Finding Someone Who Always Listens
Look, we have generalizations but Gen Z are seen as ‘generation anxiety’ by a large number of millennials, boomers and beyond. It’s easy to understand, too; not only are Gen Z the testing ground for life as digital natives, but they’ve grown up in the first era of humanity to really put mental health as a priority. As a consequence, they are more in tune with their emotions than ever before!
That comes with positives and negatives, one negative, though, is that they often feel ignored or as if nobody listens to them. Enter the AI chatbot. They are always available. Friends and family sleep, do other things, or have limited patience and time. An AI RP bot, though? It answers them 24/7.
That means, in the eyes of many in Gen Z, their AI chat companion is always there to lend them an ear.
No Judgement Cast
That anxiety we mentioned? It also leads to many in Gen Z feeling like they are being judged for everything they say. Sadly, the digital natives can also suffer a tiny bit from ‘main character syndrome’ where they feel like the world is watching everything they do and say. That means they fear judgment; they are far more socially conscious, and with good reason: most of their lives are managed online!
That means they might worry about starting a conversation with friends or posting something on an online forum that, to a millennial, was just normal to ask. AI chatbots, though, provide a place where no judgment is made and, for the most part, the chat companion ‘wears a mask’ to fit what the user asks.
That means no judgment, and the ability to talk clearly about whatever it is that is on their mind. Perhaps after some back and forth with an AI roleplay chatbot, they’ll feel better about talking to other humans about the same topic.
Conflict Free Discussion
Another huge reason why Gen Z seem smitten by AI chatbots is their ability to play any role they ask without dispute. Ask a human friend to basically pretend to be Person X, and they’ll likely tell you where to go. Tell an AI RP chatbot what (or who) you want it to be, and it’ll morph accordingly.
Gen Z are known to be less argumentative than their predecessors. That means they like to have disputes or debates that stay entirely friendly and free from potential social conflict or fallouts. They can have as deep or as intense a discussion with an AI chatbot as they like; it won’t close the window on them, or walk away, or block them.
No Screenshots Or Public Showcases
Send someone a rejected declaration of love or a joke that goes over the wrong way, and they might share it with a group chat, an online forum, or on social media. That kind of worry cripples lots of Gen Z into basically not discussing things or being open about their behaviors and passions for fear of being ridiculed. Millennials suffered this as the first coming-of-age generation to see their social experience shared online and recorded.
Well, with Gen Z, they know a chatbot isn’t going to leak their conversations or share them in a group chat so others can laugh at them. That kind of protection helps them to be more themselves.
Hanging Out With Beloved Characters
As a growing number of Gen Zers grow up surrounded by popular culture, they have a more intense connection with celebrities and fictional characters than arguably any generation before them. That kind of parasocial relationship can be unhealthy, but with AI RP, it’s easy to essentially create a digital avatar of the people or character that they revere so much.
That allows them to “spend the night” talking with a digital avatar of people from their favorite music, TV shows, video games, books, and much more. That lets their intense imaginations and creativity flow, again, all managed through a safe environment where no judgment or leaking takes place.
AI RP Is Always Available
The last reason we want to focus on is the most practical one: availability. Ask a friend to sit up to 3AM talking to you about a specific topic, and life takes over. They might have studied the next day, or they might have something going on in their own life that makes them unavailable.
That can leave some Gen Z people feeling a little left behind or unseen. AI RP allows them to talk to a bot of their own design and adjustment whenever they want. While previous generations might find the idea of talking to a computer a bit, well, weird, the advancements in quality, realism and availability make it far more amenable to Gen Z types.
Look, these are the digital natives. The people who grew up on smartphones, use social media, watch on YouTube, and see all the innovations that previous generations see as world-changing. So, try not to judge, understand why they love AI RP, and it’s easier to adjust accordingly and let them be.
Try it out for yourself – who knows? You might like it just as much as the next generation!