While Generation Z is often simplistically portrayed as an audience that naturally lives through algorithms, digital platforms, and artificial intelligence, the reality of young people’s relationship with AI reveals a far more complex picture.
Although nearly 80% of this generation uses AI tools every day, only a small percentage believe artificial intelligence would genuinely be missed if it suddenly disappeared. This gap between widespread daily use and emotional distance presents a significant challenge for the communications industry: does Generation Z simply use AI as a tool, or do they truly trust it?
At this year’s Dani komunikacija in Rovinj, on Friday, May 8, the panel discussion “Tool, Toy, or Trojan Horse? Generation Z’s View of AI” will offer the first insights from regional research exploring young people’s attitudes toward artificial intelligence across the Adria region.
The research was conducted by McCann Belgrade and UM Belgrade, members of AMA Group, with the goal of gaining deeper understanding of how young people use AI, where they experiment, when they become skeptical, and where they draw boundaries of trust.
Rather than viewing AI solely as a technological trend, the panel will open broader discussions about what Generation Z’s attitudes toward automation mean for the future of communication, brand development, and perceptions of authenticity.
The discussion will be moderated by Katarina Robeli, Managing Director of UM Zagreb, and Mate Šola, Strategic Planner at McCann Zagreb. Panelists will include Filip Filković, director and producer known for nostalgic video formats; Renata Geld, founder of the Center for Cognitive Sciences at the University of Zagreb; and Ana Lakić, Executive Director of Marketing and Research & Development at Jamnica Plus.
For brands and marketing professionals, these findings may hold particularly valuable strategic significance. At a time when AI is becoming increasingly embedded in communication processes, understanding the boundary between utility and trust is becoming essential for building relevant and authentic relationships with new generations of consumers.
This panel therefore offers not only an analysis of young people’s technological habits, but also broader insight into how future generations will shape expectations toward brands in an era of accelerated automation.
