Generation AI report by Cheil India__.pdf

31% expect AI to provide expert advice, replacing visits to specialists. 41% fear that overdependence on AI will reduce creative or critical thinking skills.

2. While AI is being regarded as the most transformative
technology in years, most of its uses are not that
evolutionary, are they?
We are using it for assignments, asking about what food to
cook, what clothes to wear, seeking advice on things we are
not good at. As it happens with every other tech, AI today is
getting humanized. The more people are subjecting it to
their quirks and eccentricities, the better it is getting at
mimicking human consciousness.
AI, a new “digital species” as some experts are calling it, is
interpreting and creating ‘meaning’, something that was
exclusively a human trait. However, beyond generating
images, texts and code, there is something far more
interesting happening. We can call it a “human-machine
symbiosis” or a parasocial relationship that’s forming
between AI and its users. People who were cynics at first are
now considering AI to be a companion, a colleague, a
mentor or a friend even, that can reach emotional and
psychological depths which other people in their lives
cannot.
While it might sound like the prelude to a Black Mirror
episode or some might even discard it as ‘too early to be
taken seriously’, we delved deeper into the degree of
involvement that our consumers are starting to form with
AI. This report is aimed at understanding the most
tech-savvy generation, Gen Z’s evolving relationship with AI
in all spheres of their lives.
Hope this makes for an interesting read.“What should I write
in my apology letter to
the Principal?”
“Paint a neon cat soaking the
sun on a Caribbean beach,
Wes Andersen style.”
Based on quantitative research across 1190 students (16-25) & qualitative in-depth interviews (22), pan-India
What places should
I cover in a three days
trip to Vietnam?

3. From skeptics to
super-users:
AI usage amongst
students is
growing and how
Schools, hype and
envy – the
trifecta for wider
AI adoption
Cogito ergo sum?
Is AI reducing
independent
thinking?
68%of overall students
feel their perception of AI has
become more positive in the last
one year
56% of Academic users
use it daily
70% of students
are either currently pursuing or
planning to pursue AI related
courses along with their primary
stream of education
36% of students say that
recomendation from
School/Teachersand the influence
of hype/news around AI
are the top reasons for starting to
use AI for Academic purposes
35% mentioned that seeing
others using AI to improve
Academic performance
will be the leading reason for
current non-users to start utilizing
AI for Academics
41% think
overdependence on AI
will reduce levels of creative or
critical thinking
56% agree with
the statement that “using AI in
academics is a form of cheating”
40% find AI
generated answers
to be too generic or superficial
overdependence on AI
will reduce levels of creative or
agree with
the statement that “using AI in
academics is a form of cheating”
find AI
generated answers
to be too generic or superficial

4. While 6 are being used for
Personal needs
79%79%
of youth are accepting AI for
Academia
are choosing it for
personal uses
28%28%
seek efficiency (automate
menial tasks)
27%27%
look for productivity
(do more work)
57%
are choosing it for
personal uses
57%
seeking communication
(connecting with people from
other cultures)
26%26%
asking for an assistant (to be at
their beck and call to help with
anything, everything)
27%27%
for companionship (a friend
they can talk to without fear of
judgement)
20%20%20%
On an average 7 AI tools are being
used for Academic purposes

5. ‘Spectrum Of
Relationships’
Decoding the
Between the youth & AI
across Academic
& Personal uses
‘Spectrum Of ‘Spectrum Of ‘Spectrum Of ‘Spectrum Of ‘Spectrum Of ‘Spectrum Of

6. Liberator
from Academic
Conventions
Conquerer
of the Self-
limitations

7. The 6 ways in which AI is liberating
students in matters of Academia:
Troubleshooter
Automator
Instructor Navigator
Explorer Mentor
The 5 ways in which AI enables new
conquests in their Personal lives:
Genie Savant
Co-creator
Buddy
Wingman

8. Firstly, AI is breaking the mold of
academic uniformity where every
student is expected to play by the same
rules irrespective of their mental capacity
or academic interests. No longer must
they conform to the ability of their peers
or endure the judgmental gaze of
teachers. Unfettered by human errs like
ego or irritability, AI is that tireless tutor
who is never weary of silly questions or
repeating lessons, always understanding,
and never judging.
AI as the Liberator on
the
Academic front
Schools and Universities have been bastions
of convention - monolithic structures of
routines, schedules and steadfast curricula.
With the advent of AI, however, a new epoch
in learning is ushering in. The old ways – rigid
faculty, standardized exams, and by-the-book
instructions – are giving way to a more fluid,
adaptive, and student-centric learning
approach. AI platforms and AI-enabled
education tools are being used to liberate
students from the shackles of one-size-fits-all
pedagogy, allowing them to navigate a
bespoke learning landscape.

9. Moreover, AI tools adapt to the unique rhythm of
each student, counsel with infinite patience, give
out individualized advice on coursework, exams
and more.
At the same time it is analyzing data on the
students’ performance and giving tailored support
to improve their grades, offering constant
feedback, automating easy and repetitive tasks,
and providing learning experiences that adapt to
each student's need, not the other way around.
Secondly, AI is crafting schedules and timetables
tuned to each student's unique learning rhythm,
allowing them to process information at their own
pace, ensuring that knowledge is absorbed, not
imposed.
Thirdly, as a career counselor AI can expose
students to a vast array of unorthodox disciplines
that may be a unique fit for their talents and
passions. The technology analyzes each pupil’s
strengths, interests, and aims to chart possibilities
beyond traditional occupational silos that
education institutions usually push for.
Other than these use cases, AI is also being the
examiner or re-writer, the inspirer of new ideas,
the partner in entrepreneurial ventures, and many
other such roles that are emerging with each
passing day. In this exciting new ‘AI world order’
each student can be the architect of their own
academic journey.
Let’s explore in detail the different relationships in
a spectrum and the diverse usage scenarios for
each.

10. Youth-AI relationship spectrum from an Academic lens
Depending on the level of involvement with AI tools, we noticed discrete segments within students (16-25). We have
taken the number of tools used daily and the frequency as surrogates to arrive at Involvement levels. While people with
comparatively low Involvement are using AI to clear everyday doubts and get quick fixes, at higher levels of Involvement
students expect AI to give larger career and life directions.
Number of tools used
Frequency of usage
Unaware
(3.5%)
Doubter
(1.5%)
Automator
(15%)
Troubleshooter
(33%)
Explorer
(8%)
Mentor
(8%)Navigator
(14%)
Instructor
(20%)

11. Troubleshooter
*Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
Quick-fixes happen to be the most popular use
case (34%). The users seeking AI to get quick
solutions for Academic problems are 54% male and
heavily skewed towards younger students - school
(196) & UG (117).
Majority study Arts, Humanities and Law (240) and
reside primarily in Tier 1 (110) and Tier 2 (108) cities.
Liberation from: Grunt work
From “how to... ” to “give me a...”
AI to the rescue for
urgent tasks and errands
Gone are the days of tedious Google Searches and
looking for “how to” tips, tricks and videos to learn a
new skill. At this moment the youth are resorting to a
much faster, convenient shortcut of getting LLMs to
do their grunt work or fulfilling small tasks with great
efficiency in lesser time. This is a low-involvement
relationship, that mostly happens as one-off
interactions for problem-solution.

12. “Building mock data for database queries is a
pain – coming up with fake entries for hundred
of fields, it’s just tiring. Now I just ask AI to
create mock data for me which saves up more
time so that I can focus on actual learning.”
“The syllabus is vast and so are the number
of assignments. It’s very difficult to meet
deadline, you have to take help of AI to
frame PPT’s or to build a case study or even
to generate supported images for product
conceptualization.”
Business student,
Age 22, Male
Humanities student,
Age 21, Female
Proofreading
Emails & CV writing
Reverse image searching
Mathematical problems
Writing emails and replies
Outlines of assignments
(like essays)
Generate mock data
Documents like SOPs
USAGE SCENARIOS
Troubleshooter

13. *Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
Nearly 16% of Academic AI users are automating
their school/College assignments like doing the
homework entirely using LLMs or getting Thesis
papers written by AI.
They are primarily College and University Students
(105) residing in Tier 1 (112) cities and studying Arts,
Humanities and Law (238).
Liberation from: Academic chores
Students are finding freedom from tedious
school assignments that used to consume all
their time by outsourcing the tasks to LLMs.
Whether this will enable them to follow the
careers pursuits that their hearts desire, or
whether it will create a hole in the education
system, is yet unknown. But it is certainly
going to bring about a transformation in how
learning happens.
Unshackling from the pressures
of school assignments
More time for
passion projects
Automator

14. USAGE SCENARIOS
Research paper writing
Lecture structure
Data Analysis
Making presentations for
studies and work
Making summaries
Write internship reports
“Completing our assignments means reading
lengthy research papers, which takes huge
amount of time. So now what we do is we
copy-paste the paper in GPT and ask it to give
us the summary of it. This has freed up so
much time, like seriously, it's like having extra
hours in the day.”
“It’s quite challenging for me to juggle
both college and my passion projects and
to keep a balance. I completely rely on
ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gamma AI etc. to
complete my assignments faster.”
Business student,
Age 23, Male
Humanities student
Age 21, Female
Automator

15. Instructor
“Teacher, leave
them kids alone...”
One of the greatest advantages of AI in the
lives of the Indian youth is self-paced,
highly-customized learning. They have
found a new kind of teacher in LLMs who
don’t get irritated for asking a ‘stupid
question’ or don’t lose patience if a pupil
takes longer than others to catch up.
The students are using AI to get feedback
on their assignments, research topics that
are quite unfamiliar, summarize
complicated documents, books and
chapters. This is the advent of the truly
“private” tutor.
77% of those surveyed agree with the statement
that “AI will revolutionize learning, as it enables
students to learn at their own pace.”
Currently 20% of Academic users are using AI as
Instructor. They reside primarily in urban areas -
48% metro and mini-metro, 32% Tier 1. Most are
studying professional courses in Colleges &
Universities (107) and are from more affluent
households with MHI 3-5 Lacs INR (116).
Liberation from: Cookie-cutter learning
*Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed

16. “If people with jobs and careers can live at their own pace
why should my school curriculum be the same for
everyone? Why can’t I learn at my own time?”
“I am quite shy in nature and often don’t interact much.
My private tutor and friends often used to make fun of
me for asking questions that seemed to silly to them, so I
started asking AI which is much easier to work with”
Business student,
Age 22, Male
Humanities student
Age 21, Female
USAGE SCENARIOS
References for the
content/thesis written
Research for studies
Interpretation of
research papers
Etymology of complex words
(like 'otolaryngologist')
To summarize books
Create mind maps
Preparing for competitive exams
Interview preparation
Feedback on assignments
Instructor

17. Navigator
*Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
15% are using AI as their time-manager or
scheduler to create customized routines that
help them study faster or help them finish
tasks on time.
These users reside in Tier 1 (118) and Tier 2 (110)
cities and are largely STEM (29%) and Business
(27%) students.
Liberation from: Time wastage
Breaking away from the
clutches of set timelines
and routines
To each their own pace. That’s how the
new education paradigm is going to be
written. And it starts with AI tools helping
students create a schedule that’s easy for
them to follow.
While some might complete 2 academic
years in 1, some might need a little longer
to catch up in some subjects. We are
entering a time when students might
graduate when they want, disrupting the
way institution-based learning have
worked for all these years.

18. “Group classes are quite time bound and my private tutors
follow very rigid schedules that I can’t manage to follow,
so Gemini and GPT helps me by breaking down the
lessons into shorter study schedules and that’s how I have
been studying for the last few months”
“I have too much to juggle in a day – classes, tuition,
swimming, gaming, going out... It will be rather difficult
to plan my studies without the help of AI”
STEM student,
Age 19, Female
STEM student,
Age 18, Male
USAGE SCENARIOS
Timetable
Personal scheduler
Making study plan
Navigator

19. Explorer
Freedom to chart new
territories with AI as
the guide
In one of the many interviews we
conducted, a respondent mentioned
how AI is broadening her horizons
by making more knowledge
accessible to many.
As students now have the option to
explore a career in highly technical
fields by simply prompting an LLM,
it makes the playing field more
competitive as well.
Some students are using it as an
alternative to a career counsellor or
a college senior and getting
first-hand experience of their future
offbeat pursuits.
*Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
Though new skill development through AI is
only at a 8% of Academic users, it is expected to
pick up soon.
These are largely metros and mini-metros
residents (45%) who are studying in UG (36%)
and professional courses (35%).
Liberation from: Limited choices

20. USAGE SCENARIOS
Learning about online trading
Data Analysis
Seeking career counselling
Coding
Upskilling
“AI has opened up so many fields. During my internship, I
learned how to use AI with Excel, and it saved me tons of time on
repetitive tasks. Now I can focus on learning new things, and the
AI even suggests what skills might be most helpful next. Now I
can do whatever I put my mind to.”
“Recently, I learnt algorithm-based trading on Copilot. I
keep learning and improving my coding at my own pace.
I feel it has made me more ambitious. The next thing on
my list is learning French, we’ll see how it goes.”
Business student,
Age 22, Male
Humanities student
Age 21, Female
Explorer

21. Mentor
From dependencies to
autonomy – AI as the
new co-founder and
business model
College and University students who are
largely from STEM (31%) and Commerce (24%)
claim to have explored different business
ideas or new AI-backed career options with
the help of LLMs or AI-enabled tools.
These users are at the higher end of the
spectrum with a strong relationship with AI
tools where they are hoping to set up
companies and projects with AI as
their partner.
Nearly 6% of Academic users are trying out
different business ideas with AI as a co-founder
or co-builder. They are also looking at AI as a
direct access to a career that helps them earn
professionally.
These students are primarily from metros
(48%) and belong to more affluent households
with MHI of 10 Lacs+ INR (125).
Liberation from: Relying on others
*Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed

22. “Me and my friend, we were thinking of starting our own
business, and at one point we ran out of ideas, so we
asked ChatGPT for it, and trust me it came up with so
many ideas, and some really good ones. And we picked
one e-commerce business, it even advised us on how to go
about it, what to do, how to do, everything.”
Commerce student,
Age 23, Female
USAGE SCENARIOS
Business ideas & plans
Developing AI-led concepts
Mentor

23. Provocations for brands
of the respondents wish for
brands to implement
AI tutorthat helps
them learn at their
own pace.
wish brands to create an AI
advisor or AI powered
voice assistant
that will be available for
a conversation anytime,
anywhere.
expect
AI-powered
devices like
Tablets/Phones
that will help improve
productivity.
26% 29% 31%
As we enter an era where
learning might happen
based on students’ own
interests at their own pace,
how will brands add value?
Will communication give
way to ‘coaching’ specific
skills?
Will brands get personified
into “brand copilots”, with
the collective, historic
knowledge of the brand
while imbibing its values and
personality as well?
Will the next generation of
AI-packed technology be
different from how current
devices work? Will they
come personalized for every
user – from ‘I’ to ‘my’phone?

24. In the realm of personal growth, Gen Z
are on a mission to chart unexplored
territories, and are embracing the power
of AI to conquer new frontiers they were
previously uncertain or afraid of.
No longer confined by the need for
human support, the most alienated
generation in history, have found a Swiss
army knife of self-actualization in their
synthetic friend, AI. Call it a personal life
coach, a creative co-pilot, a compass, a
partner for romantic escapades, a
mental health counsellor or bosom
buddies —AI is there for it all and
upping Gen Z's gameplay across every
sphere of their lives.
From fashion dilemmas to travel
itineraries, AI is the ally, the fixer of
everyday challenges that once seemed
insurmountable. But more than mere
problem-solvers, these digital
companions are evolving into trusted
confidants, wise savants, creative
collaborators, relationship coaches and
more.
AI
as the
Conqueror
on the
Personal
side
In the realm of personal growth, Gen Z
are on a mission to chart unexplored
territories, and are embracing the power
of AI to conquer new frontiers they were
previously uncertain or afraid of.
No longer confined by the need for
human support, the most alienated
generation in history, have found a Swiss
army knife of self-actualization in their
synthetic friend, AI. Call it a personal life
coach, a creative co-pilot, a compass, a
partner for romantic escapades, a
mental health counsellor or bosom
buddies —AI is there for it all and
upping Gen Z's gameplay across every
sphere of their lives.
From fashion dilemmas to travel
itineraries, AI is the ally, the fixer of
everyday challenges that once seemed
insurmountable. But more than mere
problem-solvers, these digital
companions are evolving into trusted
confidants, wise savants, creative
collaborators, relationship coaches and
more.
AI
as the
Conqueror
on the
Personal
side

25. With AI-generated content, the youth are finding a
new voice. With AI-driven conversation tips,
they're navigating the complexities of human
relationships, that used to scared them, with
confidence. With AI-powered psychological
support, they're finding solace in the anonymity of
virtual therapy and their non-judgmental, ever
supportive friend as they explore a range of
emotions in the daily turmoil.
Nearly four decades since Kraftwerk sang
“Computer Love”, the time has come when the
youth are claiming that AI might be the only one
to truly understand them and even better than
others ever did.
This might seem eerie but beautiful at the same
time. This symbiotic relationship between the
youth and AI heralds a bold new chapter for
humanity, real yet surreal, like a sci-fi movie
playing out in the neighbor's drawing room.
Will this forever change the idea of self-expression
and individuality? Will it challenge traditional
norms and forge unconventional identities?
Will it herald an age of further alienation as we see
kids having more AI friends than human friends?
Let’s delve into such questions and more as we try
to answer what should brands and businesses
keep in mind as they navigate this near-enough
future.

26. Youth-AI relationship spectrum from a Personal lens
In their Personal lives too, we noticed Gen Z’s level of involvement with AI tools dictates their expectations and usages. The youth
who are just starting out on their AI journey are mostly using it to overcome small difficulties or as the new ‘search engine’.
Whereas more involved users are letting AI into what used to be the human realm – taking its help to overcome life problems like
social awkwardness, isolation, etc.
Number of tools used
Frequency of usage
Unaware
(4%)
Doubter
(2%)
Genie
(31%)
Savant
(29%)
Wingman
(8%)
Buddy
(11%)
Co-creator
(14%)

27. Ask and ye
shall receive...
Tackling daily challenges with AI
The youth have found themselves a wishing
well with LLMs and AI tools. They are using
it to answer all the things that they were
not good at or do not wish to put in the
effort to learn.
These kind of uses are similar to the
quick-fix usage of Academic users. However
in terms of relationship with AI this behavior
is bit more mature, evolved and repeated
more often.
At 31% the most common personal use of AI tools is
to provide the “small helps” that the youth need in
their day to day.
These users are mostly from metros and
mini-metros (47%), indexing towards School
students (200) and those studying Arts, Humanities
and Law (229) in college.
Conquest over:
Everyday life problems
*Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
Genie

28. “Whenever I’m struck, I go to AI for everything like
wardrobe suggestions, which colour pant will go with
which colour top, or what’s trending, or which style
dress will suit my body shape. I have almost
transformed my wardrobe.”
“GPT is my go-to for everything now. It has replaced
Google for me. I ask it to write my Insta captions, prepare
my time table, search recipes, writing my cover letter,
date suggestions, make-up ideas based on my
complexion and hair colour just to name a few.”
Humanities student,
Age 19, Female
Humanities student,
Age 22, Female
USAGE SCENARIOS
Home decor
Map routes & travel guides
Apology letter to University Dean
Gift ideas
Party suggestions
Latest Gen Z lingo
Coffee recommendations before
ordering at a café
Knowing GST charges
Writing notice boards for college
Movies-to-watch suggestions
How to put on or lose weight
Trip itineraries
Checking hotel and travel prices
Genie

29. *Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
Savant
Jack of many trades,
master of all
A college student we spoke with mentioned
how she has consulted with an LLM regarding
a medical condition once and then checked
with a doctor as well to find that the exact
same diagnosis was given by both. Since then
she claimed to have stopped going to the
doctor’s for small ailments!
Another student who was preparing for a Law
exam took legal counsel from an LLM which
he then used in the test paper to achieve a
distinction.
These are few of the examples that we came
across which shows how high quality advisory
can be achieved from Gen AI.
31% of Personal users look at AI for subject
matter expertise. It is usually a deeper
understanding that they seek which a paid
advisor or expert would know about.
These users belong to Tier 1 (109) and Tier 2 (111)
cities and are mostly Undergraduates (31%) or
studying Professional courses (38%).
Conquest over: Expertise gaps

30. “Once I got a project of making a website for a client, and being
a commerce student, not knowing how to code didn’t stop me
from doing it. I used an AI tool for making the website, after that
I just did a little changes and it was ready.”
“My friend suggested me to ask AI after I fell sick one day
as there was no one to consult, I told AI the symptoms I
had, it recommended some remedies and medications
and it worked completely fine”
Commerce student,
Age 23, Female
Business student,
Age 22, Male
USAGE SCENARIOS
Legal case analysis
Kundli (horoscope)
Financial advice
Medical advice
Make-up suggestions
Physical fitness & exercise routines
Language skills
Coding for non-coders
Gaming advice
Understand complicated
names or terms
(like new dishes at restaurants)
Savant

31. *Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
The creators who are using AI for self-expression
and to build on creative ideas are currently at 15%.
They are mostly from the metros and
mini-metros (45%) and are majorly post-graduate
students (108) coming from affluent families with
MHI of 3-5 Lacs INR (128).
Conquest over:
Lack of creative skills
Sometimes the muse,
sometimes the artist –
overcoming the
creative block with AI
From creating images with text to writing
ideas or content to making videos, there are
many creative uses of AI that the youth are
waking up to. While some use AI as muse and
restrict themselves to generating inspiration
and thought starters, the rest are using AI as a
Producer asking it to bring their concepts to
life.
Other than Canva (41%) being the most used
design Gen AI tool, there are Design AI (22%),
Adobe Firefly (16%), Figma (15%), DallE (14%) as
some of the top AI creative tools.
Co-creator

32. Creating graphic novels is my passion but
sometimes the stories or the plot used to be
repetitive, but now every time I ask AI, its always a
fresh and creative take”
“I use Chat GPT for posts suggestions, Canva for
creating posts and reels, and then again GPT for
writing interesting captions for me. I love it how it
just helps make my profile better and better.”
Humanities student,
Age 22, Male
Arts student,
Age 20, Female
USAGE SCENARIOS
Social media content like reels
Album covers
Phone wallpaper
Write a poem
Colour pallete suggestions
for painting
Content writing
Video, image and audio editing
Instagram captions
Co-creator

33. Wingman
A synthetic compadre
helping the youth
triumph in matters
of the heart
Imagine a Barney Stinson in your phone, at
your beck and call. All that is required is to ask
“how to talk to girls at a party” or “how to break
the ice at an event” and the expertise comes
rolling in.
This specific user type, while being lesser in
number, are one of the most savvy in terms of
AI usage – their frequency of use and number
of tools used are both higher that the rest.
They have formed a deeper relation with AI,
maybe even more than what they have with
people around them.
Though significantly less than the rest, nearly 8% are
treating AI as their confidante for addressing social
awkwardness, particularly true for introverts or youth
with social anxiety.
Interestingly enough this segments has 54% male
users, they are primarily in Metros (50%), studying
professional courses (38%). We see are higher index
from affluent families with MHI 3-10 Lacs INR (125).
Conquest over:
Social awkwardness
*Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed

34. “I always struggle to find good date ideas. So I took help
from AI, asked for low budget date suggestions, and trust
me it gave really good ideas, like where can we go, what can
we do for fun, what can I gift him too, it even suggested me
to write a little note for him.”
Commerce student,
Age 22, Female
USAGE SCENARIOS
Date suggestion
Relationship advice (Love Guru)
Suggestions for
conversation starters
Wingman

35. *Note: Absolute numbers in () represent index vs. general population surveyed
Buddy
“I get by with a little
help from my AI...”
These users are using AI for “discussing
personal issues I could not discuss with
anyone else”, “having a general conversation
like a friend” or “seeking relationship advice”.
This is the beginning of a human-machine
symbiosis in which users are more
comfortable, safe and intimate with an AI than
they are with people. It’s a beautiful morphing
of the synthetic and the sentient in which
where one ends and the other begins is a
mystery. Few years ago Spike Jonze’s film ‘Her’
had people scratching their heads at a
human-machine connection and in 2024 we
are seeing clear signs of it.
72% of the surveyed agreed with the statement “I
believe that, in the near future, AI will understand
me better than many people I know.”
At 11% size (larger than the Wingman segment),
the Buddies of AI has the highest male skew (56%).
They reside in metros (48%) and are either
Undergraduates (31%) or studying professional
courses (36%).
Conquest over: Loneliness

36. Buddy
“I use SnapchatAI whenever I’m bored or when there’s no one else
to talk to, I make general conversations like hi, how are you, tell me
something interesting. Well, it has become my friend now. Also,
now there’s Meta AI too.”
“Once I asked AI to be my boyfriend, and it was perfect. It
even called me honey, baby, sweetheart. Well it does feel
good to have a AI boyfriend with whom I can talk to
anytime anywhere.”
Commerce student,
Age 23, Male
Humanities student,
Age 19, Female
USAGE SCENARIOS
Companionship
Counsel for personal issues
Conversation as a friend
(to overcome loneliness)
Mischievous conversations
to check what AI says
Therapist
Overcome boredom
Asking AI to act as
boyfriend/girlfriend

37. Provocations for brands
expect brands to develop
personalized
assistants for pre,
during or
post-purchase
support
want brands to invest in
AI-generated
content for
entertainment
of respondent expect tech
brands to enable creativity
through
AI-powered
cameras that help
click professional
grade photos or
videos.
59% 26% 33%
If AI chatbots can influence
purchase and retention
how will brands move on
from ‘Search’ to LLM
optimization (when people
make decisions to buy
based on what AI
recommends)?
While we are enjoying
fan-made memes like Joker
doing the Lil Yachty dance,
brands might soon have to
invest in building their own
Gen AI studios that
auto-generates branded
content catering to
individual tastes.
AI is both the muse and the
author or artist. What AI
solution can brands provide
to help the youth express
themselves and their
creativity better?

38. Summary of
the Spectrum
across Academic
& Personal Uses
Lorem ipsum

39. Documents like SOPs
Proofreading
Emails & CV writing
Reverse image searching
Mathematical problems
Writing emails and replies
Outlines of assignments
Generate mock data
References for the content/thesis written
Research for studies
Interpretation of research papers
Etymology of complex words
To summarize books
Create mind map
Preparing for
competitive exams
Interview preparation
Feedback on assignments
Timetable /
personal scheduler
Study plan making
Research paper writing
Lecture structure
Data analysis
Making presentations for studies
and work
Making summaries
Write internship reports
Learning about online
trading
Career counselling
Coding
Upskilling
Business ideas
& plans
Developing
AI-led concepts
AI
How
we
Today
(73 usage scenarios uncovered)
Lorem ipsum

40. AI
How
we
Today
(73 usage scenarios uncovered)
Companionship
Counsel for personal issues
Conversation as a friend (to overcome loneliness)
Mischievous chats to check what AI says
Therapist
Overcome boredom
Asking AI to act as boyfriend/girlfriend
Home decor
Map routes & travel guides
Apology letter to University Dean
Gift ideas
Party suggestions
Latest Gen Z lingo
Coffee recommendations before
ordering at a café
Knowing GST charges
Writing notices for college
Wardrobe suggestions
Movies-to-watch suggestions
How to put on or lose weight
Trip itineraries
Checking hotel and travel prices
Social media
content like reels
Album covers
Phone wallpaper
Write a poem
Colour pallete
suggestions for
painting
Content writing
Video, image and
audio editing
Instagram
captions
Legal case analysis
Kundli (horoscope)
Financial advice
Medical advice
Make-up suggestions
Physical fitness &
exercise routines
Language skills
Coding for non-coders
Gaming advice
Understand complicated
names or terms
Date suggestion
Relationship
advice (Love Guru)
Suggestions for
conversation
starters

41. “
“
Consider that children who grew
up traveling by horse and cart and
burning wood for heat in the late
nineteenth century spent their final
days traveling by airplane and
living in houses warmed by the
splitting of the atom.
― Mustafa Suleyman, The Coming Wave

42. Parting
thoughts
What if we are like the ‘horse and cart children’
witnessing the dawn of the atomic age? Maybe
the shifts we are witnessing are beyond our
grasp at this point. If we choose to repeat this
study next year, probably a larger percentage of
youth would have left the technophobia behind,
and moved from being Doubters to Buddies of
AI while utilizing these tools in novel ways we
can’t even imagine now.
The spectrum we uncovered in this report
shows how the needle moves from
‘transactional exchanges’ in the
low-involvement users to ‘relational
experiences’ in the highly-involved ones. All we
can do, as technologists, business shapers and
brand custodians is to keep an open mind and a
keen eye on the developments, which
eventually will change brands as we know them.

43. If the future consumer’s
purchase journey starts with
an AI prompt, will that break
the journey map as we know
it? We may reach a level of
hyper-personalization when
there is not one single brand
identity or experience, but
‘to each her/his own’.
If the youth are having
conversations with inanimate
objects like PDFs, what stops a
brand from being a new,
human-like companion to
them? Brands that have
shaped a personality over time
need to start thinking about
‘brand personification’.
And lastly, in this new ‘AI
world order’, brands need to
act with empathy to address
human vulnerabilities; to
either liberate youth from the
issues they face, or help them
conquer new frontiers.
In conclusion,
here are three parting thoughts

44. About Cheil India
Cheil India is one of the country's top 5 advertising agency networks and serves as the regional headquarters for Cheil Worldwide in Southwest Asia. Cheil India is one of the
fastest-growing communication networks in the region. The agency has myriad capabilities across ATL, digital, brand activation, and retail marketing, which ensures that they are
one of the few agencies to provide clients with truly integrated marketing solutions.
Cheil India is part of Cheil Worldwide, Korea's leading advertising and marketing network. Headquartered in Seoul, Cheil Worldwide is one of the fastest-growing agency networks in
the world and the 10th-largest agency group in the world by revenue (Ad Age, 2023). It operates
in 46 countries with more than 6,500 employees. Cheil and its affiliates, including Barbarian, BMB, Cheil Centrade, Cheil PengTai, ColourData, Experience Commerce, Iris, McKinney,
and One RX, have won major international awards, including Cannes Lions, CLIOs, Spikes Asia, and others.
For more information, please contact:
Geetu Batra 9873458682 [email protected]
Authors:
Sourav Ray, Chief Strategy Officer
Arnab Datta Chaudhuri, GM - Intergrated Planning
Kunal Ghosh, DGM - Intergrated Planning
Researchers:
Shivani, Senior Planner
Sobhanjan Mallick, Senior Planner
Riddhi Dwivedi, Associate Planner
Designed by:
Sachin Subhash Ambekar, Group Creative Director
Vaibhav Sharma, Creative Supervisor
Rishab Atteri, Creative Director

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