People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

The expansion of accessible AI tools is enabling people to explore their creativity via X-rated content – sparking the rise of synthetic porn. The proliferation of these images is raising questions about AI's impact on objectification and the challenge of mitigating misinformation at scale.

Amid widespread loneliness and the rapid development of human-like chatbots, influencer Caryn Marjorie has partnered with Forever Voices to use ChatGPT to create a virtual girlfriend. Trained on her YouTube videos, it is raking in over $70,000 a week, signalling a new era of AI companionship.

Gen Z are outsourcing their dating life thanks to AI, whether that’s to match with people with similar interests, or letting AI dominate the dialogue with their matches. How are AI-mediated connections translating into the offline world? How will AI-driven dating impact consumer-brand interactions?

With the long-term impact of lockdown yet to be fully felt, there are signs of what the ‘new normal’ looks like. Take Replika, the AI chatbot helping Gen Zers to feel less lonely. As tech fulfils a multitude of needs for young people, a chatbot may be the next frontier in friendship.