Soul Zhang Lu Shows How Gen Z is Using AI to Strengthen Human Connections

As the popularity of artificial intelligence increases, so do debates about its impact on human interaction. Naysayers argue that AI-driven communication tools pose a threat to genuine social bonds, which will isolate people. To understand if youngsters, who are the primary users of the technology, also share these views, the CEO of Soul, Zhang Lu, had her team conduct a study.

Around 3600 users of Soul App were invited to participate in the survey, and the 2025 Gen Z AI Engagement Report was compiled on the basis of the responses received from them. It behooves mentioning here that Soul has a large user base of Gen Z users, and the company is known to frequently conduct surveys to understand the thoughts, feelings, and reactions of Zoomers.

The survey was done by Just So Soul, which is Soul Zhang Lu’s research team. They had compiled a similar report in 2024, which gave them enough data to compare the changes, if any, in the attitudes of youngsters toward AI.

Overall, older generations perceive AI in a bad light, specifically when it comes to its ability to impede human interactions and communication. So, this was the very first topic that Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers wanted to discuss with their participants.

The views of the respondents were opposite to the general perception. According to these youngsters, far from being a disruptor of social interactions, AI was aiding them in becoming better communicators while simultaneously facilitating connections that were perfect for continual interactions.

To begin with, a staggering 95% of the individuals who responded to Soul Zhang Lu’s survey said that they were using AI in some form or manner in their everyday lives. Save for 5%, all other survey participants stated that AI was now a part of their academic and professional lives.

More than one-half of these respondents admitted to being frequent users of the technology. As far as adoption of AI went, youngsters displayed greater openness to adopting the technology and accepting the changes it brings along.  

When the discussion was directed towards the likely use cases of AI, about 56% of Soul Zhang Lu’s survey respondents stated that the technology is being used to increase productivity. Approximately 39% of those surveyed said that AI is an effective tool for creative ideation.

Another 39% confessed that they were frequently using the technology for entertainment, in particular for emotional support. A further 33% noted that the technology was a means for social facilitation given its ability to offer response recommendations.

Soul Zhang Lu’s study also found that there has been a meteoric rise in the percentage of users who now boast AI literacy. In fact, around 24% of the respondents in the 2025 survey claimed to have an advanced understanding of the technology, which was a massive increase of 700% over the figures of 2024.

When quizzed about the extent to which AI helps in achieving work and study-related objectives, around 80% of the participants said that their productivity had increased by 50% all thanks to AI, while 30% noted that the technology had helped them to nearly double their efficiency. Fewer than 4% dismissed the tech, and they did so, citing negligible benefits.

Soul Zhang Lu’s survey also highlighted a surprising AI-linked social paradox. Despite their growing tendency to use AI for emotional companionship, youngsters are not using it as a substitute for human- human connections. Instead, the technology is being leveraged to foster real-world ties. For instance, youngsters explained that when it comes to facilitating human-human connections and real-life interactions, AI helps in 4 ways:

1. Helps to pave the way for more engaging conversations.
2. Provides topic suggestions that keep conversations going.
3. Offers emotional support that aids in building confidence.
4. Brings together people with mutual interests.

As far as the use of AI for emotional companionship went, fewer than 6% of Soul Zhang Lu’s survey participants said that they were not keen on using such products. Around 22% admitted to using AI-powered tools specially designed for emotional support multiple times a day, while nearly 21% said that they used such products at least once a day.

Through their questionnaire, Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers also found that men were more prolific users of AI-powered social companionship applications than women. When trying to understand what was sending people into the proverbial arms of AI, the researchers found that two factors were primarily responsible.

1. The breakdown of traditional social structures has created a gap that youngsters are desperately trying to fill.
2. Advancements in AI technology have given it almost humanlike reasoning, perception, and interaction capabilities. This makes conversations with AI chatbots feel more real and emotionally stimulating.    

To put it simply, hyper-digitization created a need that AI is simply fulfilling. That said, of course, China’s Gen Z is turning to AI for more than just casual chit-chat or even a heart-to-heart. In fact, these youngsters have realized that the technology can be used for more than efficiency improvement in their work and studies.

For instance, about 20% of the participants said that they had already monetized AI. This does not mean that China’s Gen Z harbors no anxiety when it comes to artificial intelligence. Except for 25% of those surveyed, all others admitted to feeling some amount of anxiety when it comes to the rise and impact of the technology.

Privacy and data security concerns, false information, job displacement, and the breakneck speed of AI advancements are some of the factors related to the technology that are giving youngsters sleepless nights.

Despite this, Soul Zhang Lu’s researchers found that, on the whole, the sentiment towards AI is optimistic, with nearly one-half of those surveyed accepting AI’s ability to be a nifty tool for improving efficiency. In fact, around 30% see it as a driver of innovation and growth. As such, about 30% of the respondents said that they were actively honing their AI skills in a bid to stay competitive today and relevant tomorrow.

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