Indian Gen Z has embraced AI as an essential part of their daily lives, with 78% regularly using tools like ChatGPT for tasks ranging from assignments to content creation. They integrate AI and augmented reality for efficiency and self-expression....
By ET Online | Updated:
For India’s Gen Z, AI is not a distant innovation. Now it is firmly embedded in their present. From assignments to workplace tasks and creative projects, AI has shifted from being a futuristic buzzword to an everyday essential.
According to the second edition of the ET Snapchat Gen Z Index, 78% of Indians aged 18–28 regularly use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Grok. Among students, nearly half (46%) rely on AI primarily for study or assignments, researching topics or generating study aids.
For working professionals in this cohort, 29% use AI to boost productivity, while others turn to it for side pursuits like content creation, design and video editing.
This data signals a decisive shift: AI is no longer experimental. It has gone mainstream. Usage is pragmatic and deeply integrated into daily routines. As the index puts it: “I don’t need AI to blow my mind. I just need it to save me time.”
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This adoption extends beyond AI to adjacent technologies. The survey found that 79% of Gen Z now use AI and augmented reality (AR) in their everyday lives. AR features in gaming, shopping apps and social media filters are now second nature, valued not for novelty but for their role in enhancing efficiency, self-expression and problem-solving.
The study, conducted by Kantar, surveyed active smartphone and social media users across metros such as Mumbai and Delhi and Tier 1 towns including Jaipur, Patna and Guwahati. Respondents reflected a digitally native, hyper-connected generation increasingly defined by its seamless integration of technology into every facet of life.
Creativity is another frontier. 20% Gen Zers at work and 19% GenZ students are harnessing AI for art, writing, and videos. They see it less as a threat and more as an enabler.
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Gen Z prizes efficiency in its tools, authenticity in its brands and inclusivity in its culture. Just as they gravitate toward homegrown, ethically responsible labels, they embrace AI not because it dazzles but because it delivers.
With nearly four in five already integrating AI into their routines, one thing is clear: for Gen Z, AI isn’t the future. It’s the here and now. The technology that once promised to transform tomorrow has already transformed today.
