Report reveals youth's views on AIGC
By SHI JING in Shanghai | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2024-05-30 20:01
70 percent of the younger Chinese generations have limited understanding of AI-generated content, or AIGC, more than 90 percent of them have already experienced AIGC products or functions, according to a report released by Just So Soul, the research arm of the social platform Soul App, on Thursday.
By polling 3,457 Chinese youths, among which 80 percent are Gen Z, the report finds improving work efficiency as the top reason for adopting the technology, with 62.78 percent of the interviewees having ticked this item. Adding more convenience in daily life and enjoying an entertaining and interesting experience are the second and third most frequently used reasons for turning to AIGC.
Negative feelings for AIGC mainly come from three issues, including jobs being replaced by AIGC, the spread of low-quality content due to the high productivity of AIGC and rising concerns over privacy and data security.
On the other hand, AIGC has become a source of income for some Chinese youths, according to the report. About 14.8 percent of the respondents have cashed in on AIGC and another 43.35 percent have plans of doing so.
Younger professionals in advertising, art, and cultural communication have harnessed AIGC technology to make money. About 42.5 percent of those surveyed born post-00s plan to earn an income through AIGC tools.
Social interactions have formed an ideal scenario for the application of AIGC, according to Soul App experts, saying that "multimodal AIGC has enhanced human-computer interaction in an unprecedented way".
Indeed, 60 percent of the surveyed have used AI-powered social networking products before.
The younger generation is open to engaging with AI in general, with 70.35 percent taking a neutral stance and 17.99 percent fond of communicating with chatbots. In other words, only about 12 percent are averse to AI interactions.
The report finds more than half of the interviewed young people believe that AIGC products can, or have the potential to, ease loneliness. More important, 32.8 percent are willing, or even eager, to make friends with an AI.
