AI has expanded what's possible for marketers. It has also raised the bar for every digital experience customers have with a brand. People don't experience AI in isolation; they experience the content they read, the recommendations they receive, and the moments that shape their perception of a brand. Digital authenticity is the extent to which a brand’s digital experiences feel accurate, trustworthy, relevant, transparent and genuinely designed around the customer. The Digital Authenticity Index explores how those experiences influence trust, revealing a new way to think about success in the age of AI.
The report surveys 4,047 participants across four generations: Gen Z (18–29), Millennials (30–45), Gen X (46–61), and Boomers (62+). It examines how people judge credibility, relevance, and responsible AI use. Every generation offers valuable insight, but Gen Z stands out, revealing a significant opportunity for brands that create AI-powered experiences people genuinely value.
This follow-up to the Digital Authenticity Index takes a closer look at the generation shaping the future of digital engagement. It explores what authenticity means to Gen Z and compares those expectations with Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers. The findings help marketing leaders understand where trust is built, where it breaks down, and where they can move forward with confidence.
What the research found
80%
of Gen Z believe that digital experiences are equally or more important than real-life experiences.
89%
of Gen Z say brands need to do more to improve their digital authenticity.
90%
of Gen Z say digital authenticity should be a brand’s top priority for future investment.
74%
of Gen Z say they can spot AI, making them the most confident generation in this regard. They’re also one of the more optimistic generations about AI improving digital authenticity in the future.
68%
of Gen Z is comfortable with brands using AI to personalize digital experiences.
Why does digital authenticity matter to Gen Z?
Digital authenticity matters to Gen Z because digital experiences increasingly shape how they perceive and judge brands. For them, digital experience is no longer a channel - it's the brand itself. Compared to 47% of Boomers, 80% of Gen Z consider digital experiences equally or more important than real-life experiences.
This draws attention to two important generational qualities: Gen Z is more immersed in digital interactions with brands, and the stakes are higher for brands to create authentic digital engagements geared towards this younger generation.
But before your brand sharpens its focus on creating more Gen Z-centered digital content, the report has critical insight into how participants feel about the current state of brand digital authenticity. Despite Gen Z's digital fluency, brands are still failing to meet authenticity expectations; only 66% of Gen Z feel that brands today are authentic in their digital experiences, falling mid-range compared to 70% of Millennials, 54% of Gen X, and 45% of Boomers.
A high majority (89%) of Gen Z say brands need to do more to improve their digital authenticity. Their advice on how to do that: 90% of Gen Z say digital authenticity should be a brand’s top priority for future investment.
Where is the digital authenticity gap for Gen Z?
With consumers experiencing a noteworthy gap between what brands are delivering and their expectations, what can brands focus on to improve digital authenticity? The area that divided the participants the most fell into the Responsibility category, which includes brand transparency, human accountability, and acting in the consumer's best interest. Even though the performance shortfalls widen as the generational age groups increase, Gen Z’s numbers are surprisingly the most forgiving.
Gen Z expects digital experiences to be accurate, trustworthy, reliable and human. But the research reveals a gap between the qualities Gen Z considers important and how well brands deliver against them:
93%
Provide information that is accurate and honest
91%
Act in the customer’s best interest, not their own
90%
Make it easy to get help from a real person when needed
90%
Deliver reliable and dependable digital experiences over time
However, when evaluating brands’ performance in these same areas, Gen Z ranks:
75%
Provide information that is accurate and honest
68%
Act in the customer’s best interest, not their own
66%
Make it easy to get help from a real person when needed
79%
Deliver reliable and dependable digital experiences over time
When deciding how to improve your brand’s digital authenticity, consider prioritizing key areas that will have the most meaningful impact on your audience.
How does Gen Z feel about AI-powered brand experiences?
Gen Z does not reject AI. They reject poor AI experiences. 74% of Gen Z find it easy to spot AI or AI-generated marketing content, leading the generational age groups. Gen Z’s digital fluency creates an opportunity to leverage AI creatively. At the same time, the use of AI remains a topic that divides opinions within the age group.
47% of Gen Z believe AI will improve a brand’s digital authenticity. Gen Z is among the more optimistic groups, along with 50% of Millennials, compared to 32% of Gen X and only 24% of Boomers.
For any brand planning to leverage AI in its digital experience, it is important to set goals beyond simply delivering AI and deliver AI that will impress or serve a purpose.
Does Gen Z want brands to use AI for personalization?
Most Gen Z consumers are comfortable with AI-powered personalization, but their support comes with clear expectations. 68% are comfortable with brands using AI to personalize digital experiences, while their biggest concerns include loss of human contact, data misuse and lack of transparency.
Despite the tendency to assume that Gen Z is leading the age groups in all things digital, another surprising finding has more to do with where they do not take the lead. At 71%, Millennials are the most comfortable with brands using AI to personalize digital experiences, including preference-based advertising, virtual ‘try on’ experiences, and chatbots for customer service.
Gen Z shares its top three concerns about AI personalization:
47%
Loss of human contact
40%
Data misuse
30%
Lack of transparency
Millennials also lead with 86% agreeing that when AI is used responsibly, it is useful and beneficial for consumers, surpassing the 83% of Gen Z participants that agree.
What builds digital trust with Gen Z?
The strongest drivers of digital trust among Gen Z aren't sophisticated AI features - they're clear information, honest communication, privacy and access to human support. Gen Z gives brands permission to experiment with AI, but not to compromise trust. Out of the generations, Gen Z will disengage with brands they don't trust at the highest rate.
When asked about brands’ undisclosed use of generative AI content, just over half of Gen Z participants (52%) say it decreases their trust in the brands. As the lowest compared to 55% of Millennials, 74% of Gen X, and 84% of Boomers, Gen Z is surprisingly the most tolerant.
However, 68% of Gen Z reported that they have reduced engagement, switched away from brands, or no longer used brands because the digital experience felt untrustworthy, inconsistent, or inauthentic. Gen Z is the highest out of the generations, followed by 62% of Millennials, 55% of Gen X, and 47% of Boomers.
Gen Z’s top trust killers:
- Inaccurate or misleading information (35%)
- No clear way to reach a human when needed (34%)
- Overly automated or robotic interactions (33%)
Gen Z’s top trust builders:
- Easy access to human support when needed (36%)
- Clear and accurate information (36%)
- Honest and straightforward communication (32%)
- Strong privacy and data security protections (32%)
The pattern is clear: winning Gen Z’s trust starts with getting the fundamentals right. Even as personalization becomes more sophisticated, the best digital experiences should still feel relevant, meaningful, and human. For marketers, the challenge is to scale AI personalization without sacrificing the transparency, consent, and human connection that build customer trust.
Gen Z AI predictions
What is Gen Z’s outlook for the future of brand digital authenticity with the increasing growth of AI and AI-generated content?
Nearly half, 49% of Gen Z, expect AI to improve in the future, specifically around Relevance, or digital experience fitting their needs and context. And while the biggest expected future decline caused by AI is in human touch (the availability of real people and personal support when needed), Gen Z opinions remain evenly split. Brands have a unique opportunity to shape the future of the Gen Z experience in their favor.
How can brands improve digital authenticity with Gen Z?
Brands can strengthen digital authenticity with Gen Z by focusing AI investment on customer value, fixing fundamental trust gaps, preserving access to human support, and measuring trust alongside traditional performance metrics.
- Stop treating AI adoption as the finish line
Gen Z isn't rewarding brands simply for using AI. They're judging whether it makes experiences more useful, trustworthy, and human. AI is quickly becoming table stakes. The competitive advantage belongs to brands that use it to deliver better customer experiences, not just more automated ones. - Fix the trust basics before adding more personalization
Personalization alone does not build trust. Consistent, transparent, and human-centered experiences create the confidence that allows personalization to deliver its full value. Before investing in the next AI capability, close the gaps that matter most to customers: accuracy, reliability, transparency, and accountability. - Design AI with an escape hatch
One of Gen Z's biggest concerns is losing human contact. Make it obvious when customers can reach a real person and ensure the transition is seamless. The best AI experiences do not replace people. They make human support easier to access when it matters most. - Earn trust continuously, not just once
Gen Z may be more open to AI than older generations, but they are also the quickest to disengage when brands fail to meet expectations. Trust is not won in a single interaction. It is earned through every accurate answer, transparent decision, and reliable experience delivered over time. - Make digital authenticity part of how success is measured
Engagement and conversion tell you what customers did. Digital authenticity helps explain why they stay. Alongside traditional performance metrics, leaders should measure whether digital experiences build trust, strengthen confidence, and reinforce long-term customer relationships. As AI becomes embedded across every interaction, these signals will become increasingly important indicators of brand health.