AI friends, ‘Gu Liao,’ paperclip love: What China’s Gen Z wants

Chronically online yet desperate to reconnect with the offline world, China’s Gen Z are navigating the tension between their hyper-digital lives and real-world relationships. The cohort, currently maturing in an economy fraught with uncertainty, is increasingly turning to AI companions, online buddies, and offline relationships to reaffirm their sense of identity. A new survey by metaverse app Soul and Fudan University’s Center for Communication and State Governance Research highlights these shifts. Drawing on over 11,000 surveys, content from Soul’s platform, and extensive data analysis, the report, titled “Embracing the Era of Self-Pleasure and Enchanting the World,” distills the top social trends shaping this generation’s pursuit of intimacy and self-discovery. We dissect some of the findings below. Befriending AI Soul’s “Gen Z AIGC Attitude Report” reveals that one-third of young people are open to befriending AI, with over half believing that AI-generated content (AIGC) products can alleviate loneliness. In 2024, Soul launched its AI Virtual Partner feature, attracting over 1.3 million users. Nearly 40% of survey respondents said they would confide in AI virtual beings, valuing their consistent emotional support, while skeptics often dismissed them as “fake.” Amid the fast pace of urban life, where finding reliable, always-available friends can be challenging, AI virtual beings are emerging as a compelling alternative. Soft-boiled egg socializing The concept of “soft-boiled egg” socializing — maintaining an ideal balance between closeness and distance — has resonated with netizens seeking meaningful online connections. Soul’s “Gu Liao” feature, which matches users with guaranteed chat partners, saw over 650,000 connections in 2024, with engagement up 76% year-over-year. Hashtags like #lookingforguliao and #waitingforguliao reflect the growing desire for reliable companionship. The viral trend “#SearchingforZhangHuaimin” highlighted this sentiment, with the hashtag garnering hundreds of millions of views. Inspired by poet Su Shi’s midnight walks with his friend Zhang Huaimin, the movement represents the search for a friend who’s always available for spontaneous connection. Soul’s survey found that nearly 70% of respondents turn to “Gu Liao” to share joy, vent frustrations, or seek post-breakup comfort, with 47.9% prioritizing these connections over romantic partners (32.5%) or strangers online (30.8%). Paperclip paradox As China’s Gen Z seek love, many find themselves caught in a loop, often ending right back where they started — much like the twist of a paperclip. In 2024, more than 3.59 million users on Soul Square, a communal feature within the app similar to social media feeds, explored “romantic love,” using hashtags like #IWantSweetLove (up 41% YoY) and #DatingForMarriage, which collectively garnered 3.2 billion views. Among 8,000 surveyed singles, over 75% expressed a desire for a relationship, with 85.9% of young men under 30 eager to leave singlehood. Barriers included “small social circles,” “value misalignment,” and “communication challenges.” At the same time, singlehood gained traction, accumulating 8.8 billion views on related discussions. The hashtag #QualitySingleBeatsLowRel, with 1.65 million views, reflected pride in single life, with users citing factors such as “freedom,” “fear of disappointment,” and “lack of a suitable match.” Women often prioritized personal growth over romance, while men more frequently pointed to financial constraints or past relationship struggles as reasons for staying single. From pixels to people Young people once captivated by the digital world are now rediscovering the richness of offline experiences, venturing out to connect with others in person, reports Soul. In 2024, the video game Black Myth: Wukong inspired a surge of interest in Shanxi travel, with Douyin group purchase orders for Xi County attractions spiking by 5,884% during the National Day holiday — a testament to how digital experiences can drive real-world exploration. Offline-focused hashtags like #talkshow, #party, #foodmarket, #shop, and #concert amassed over 1.7 billion views on Soul, signaling a growing appreciation among youth for slower, more meaningful offline moments. Meanwhile, respondents to a survey on life satisfaction revealed that participating in offline activities, sports, and outdoor pursuits brought the highest levels of happiness.

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AI friends, ‘Gu Liao,’ paperclip love: What China’s Gen Z wants