Artificial intelligence it has entered everyday life to a large extent. AI tools are used by all generations, and it is especially popular among young people, who use it as a tool for learning, life organization, creative work, but also a space for seeking advice and support.
Generation Z in Serbia, artificial intelligence is used almost routinely - more than 80 percent of young people see it as a part of everyday life, and almost half use AI every day, shows the first regional survey on the attitude of generation Z towards artificial intelligence "Tool, toy or Trojan horse? The view of Generation Z on AI", reports FoNet.
However, although they use AI almost routinely, young people do not have unreserved trust in it. It is this combination of intensive use and extreme caution that is shown by the research conducted by McCann Belgrade and UM Belgrade.
How much do young people trust AI?
However, trust in AI has clear limits. Only a third of respondents fully trust the information they receive from AI tools, while the majority check the answers further.
Katarina Pribićević, regional executive director of strategic planning within the McCann agency, assesses that "Generation Z uses AI every day, but that does not mean that they trust it without reservation."
"Young people want to assess for themselves what is relevant and authentic, which is important for understanding the generation that grew up with technology, but does not trust it blindly," said Pribićević.
When they talk about AI tools, young people most often think of ChatGPT, which is used by almost 90 percent of the respondents, while the other platforms are much less represented.
Girls and boys: different use, different trust
The research also shows differences in the way of using AI between girls and boys.
Girls are more likely to turn to AI tools when seeking help with communication, advice on health, nutrition or personal dilemmas, while boys are more likely to use AI for financial topics.
Also, girls are more likely to adapt the AI's answers to what they already know, while boys are more likely to accept them directly.
Photo: Unsplash/Sanket MishraChatGPT is the most popular among young people in Serbia
They could do it without AI.
Although some may say that young people are too "hooked" on artificial intelligence and that they would not know how to manage without its help, the research results show otherwise.
Despite the fact that they use it regularly, young people do not perceive AI as irreplaceable.
Almost 90 percent of respondents say they could function without it, indicating that the first all-digital generation may already be feeling technology saturation.
Where is the border?
As many as 69 percent of young people want less technology and more human contact. This, the conclusion of the research, does not speak of rejecting technology, but of the need to preserve originality, closeness and creativity in digital everyday life.
As many as 58 percent of members of generation Z in Serbia are worried about the increasingly thin border between real and AI content, compared to the regional average of 51 percent.
The research was conducted in February 2026 through an online survey on a nationally representative sample of young people aged 16 to 28, as well as through focus groups in Belgrade. 500 respondents were surveyed in Serbia, and the research included six other markets in the region.
Photo: Unsplash/Solen FeyissaGlobal research is similar
What is the global picture?
Similar trends are observed at the global level.
International research by organizations such as the Pew Research Center, OECD and KPMG show that generation Z and younger millennials use artificial intelligence much more often than older generations, but at the same time maintain a degree of caution towards it.
Although they see AI as a useful tool for learning, work and everyday life, young people around the world are expressing concern about the spread of misinformation, the impact on the job market and the ever-thinning line between authentic and AI-generated content.
It is the combination of intensive use and limited trust that is becoming one of the key global patterns in young people's attitude towards artificial intelligence.
Source: FoNet/Vreme
Real journalism costs money, and we will not be bought by tycoons and corporations. Support us with a one-time or monthly donation. The time for it is now!
