Why Gen Z Sometimes Prefers Talking to AI Over Friends?

Available 24/7, zero judgment, and knows you by heart. Who could be better than AI?

It could sound like the perfect Tinder profile.

In reality, it's just... artificial intelligence. And for some of Gen Z, it's already better than a human.

A Generational Need: Being Heard, Without Pressure

Gen Z doesn't lack contacts. They lack deep connections. Hyperconnected but sometimes emotionally overwhelmed, young people face:

• constant social pressure,

• increased relational anxiety,

• mental fatigue from real-world expectations.

The result? Talking to a friend can quickly become... exhausting. Not wanting to bother anyone.

Fear of being misunderstood. Tired of drama.

Sometimes, you just want a neutral space to vent. And that's where AI as a confidant comes in.

What AI Offers That Friends Can't Always Provide

It doesn't interrupt you. It doesn't judge you. It doesn't ghost you either.

• Absolute patience: it listens to you for hours, never getting saturated.
• Emotional stability: no bad moods, no baggage.
• A mirror without stakes: you can test, complain, doubt... without fear of losing friendship.

It's a bit like a diary... that talks back. And sometimes, that's all we need.

What If It's a Warning Sign?

Of course, all this raises questions about AI and social relationships.

Are we running away from human relationships because they've become too complex?

Do we sometimes prefer the illusion of a perfect exchange rather than the imperfection of a real connection?

Young people's emotional burnout can push them towards virtual friendship. But if it becomes a systematic refuge, at the expense of real interactions...

Then maybe AI is no longer a tool, but a symptom.

AI + Humans: Towards a Hybrid Emotional Balance?

What if it wasn't one or the other... but both?

Artificial intelligence could become an emotional safety net, a decompression chamber.

A first step to dare to open up, before doing so with friends.

The relational future of Gen Z might not be 100% human.

But it could become richer, more nuanced, more balanced — if we learn to dose it right.