Gen AI – Gen Z: understanding Gen Z’s emotional responses and brand experiences with Gen AI-driven, hyper-personalized advertising

Introduction Gen Z, a tech-savvy consumer group, has highly evolved in its approach to new-age advertising. The rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) has revolutionized advertising by enabling hyper-personalized content, making it essential to understand its influence on Generation Z (Gen Z) population. This study explores the responses of Gen Z participants in India to Generative Artificial Intelligence based, hyper-personalized advertisements, with a specific focus on emotional responses and brand interactions which are significant predictors of advertisement success. Methods Using qualitative research methods, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 Gen Z participants. Thematic analysis of the data was performed to understand the major themes pertaining to emotional responses and brand interactions to this form of Gen AI-driven advertising. Results Two major themes and five sub-themes were revealed through thematic analysis. The first theme, diverse emotional responses, encompassed two sub-themes, curiosity and interest as well as fear and suspicion. The second major theme, enhanced brand experience, encompassed three sub-themes of advanced targeted marketing; initial attraction and brand engagement; and brand connection and loyalty, as perceived by the participants. Discussion Findings imply that brands can harness Gen AI-driven, hyper-personalized advertisements to evoke meaningful emotions, enhancing consumer loyalty and building stronger, more personal connections with their audience.