At Sequoia Capital’s AI Ascent event, Sam Altman dropped a quiet bombshell: Gen Z isn’t just using ChatGPT, they’re building their lives around it. Whether it’s deciding what college major to choose, drafting texts to friends, or building daily routines, this generation doesn’t tap into AI occasionally… they live inside it.
For many young users, ChatGPT isn’t a chatbot; it’s more like a digital co-pilot. They’ve developed entire systems: saved prompt templates, synced documents, and custom workflows. It remembers their context, adapts to their habits, and sometimes, finishes their thoughts better than they could.
And the numbers back it up. According to OpenAI, U.S. college students are among the most engaged users. Meanwhile, a 2024 Pew Research study found that 26% of teens aged 13–17 already use ChatGPT for schoolwork, double what it was just a year ago. But this intimacy with AI is starting to stir debate. Lawmakers in California are voicing concern, questioning whether the dependency is healthy, especially when emotional connections to AI start forming. Psychologists, too, are watching closely: What does it mean when your “study partner” is also your late-night life coach?
There’s no doubt Gen Z is pioneering a new kind of relationship with technology, one that’s always on, always listening, and increasingly, always guiding. Whether that’s revolutionary or risky… well, the verdict’s still out.
But one thing’s for sure: ChatGPT isn’t just a tool anymore. It’s part of the conversation literally.
