Youth Pulse 2026

Digital life is no longer separate from social life – it shapes how young people learn, work, form relationships and express identity. Across platforms and tools, their engagement is near constant: 73% of young people use YouTube daily, while 60% use TikTok and Instagram almost continuously.24 Meanwhile, 60% of survey respondents use generative AI regularly (Figure 10). Even amid rising individualism and fragmentation, young people are building intentional spaces of connection. Over 95% of survey respondents say that being part of a youth community has provided them with a critical space for learning, growth and dialogue. Against a backdrop where fewer than 30% of people globally believe most others can be trusted,25 this finding signals how community design can rebuild social trust from the ground up. Intentionally designed youth networks with clear mandates are emerging as powerful spaces for connection and purpose. Seventy-two per cent of respondents said being part of local youth communities has helped them gain confidence to identify opportunities and take action; 67% said they have been able to mobilize actions to solve local challenges; and 67% that they have been able to forge meaningful connections with local actors. Purpose-built youth networks have become incubators of resilience, civic leadership and collective problem-solving, equipping young people to address both personal and societal challenges.Digital lifestyles redefine connection Purpose-built communities counter fragmentationSocial trends that will shape the next five years FIGURE 12 10 0 20 30 40 50Which social trends are likely to have the most significant impact in the next five years?* Normalization of digital lifestyles Growing social fragmentation and polarization Increasing loneliness and social isolation Shifting generational values Expanding global awareness and activism Increasingly unequal access to technology Revival of cultural traditions and local identities47.8% 44.0% 43.1% 39.2% 32.5% 24.4%48.2% Note: * Respondents were asked to select up to three trends Youth Pulse 2026: Insights from the next generation for a changing world 29