Young people are aware of the risks of AI- related disruptions. Two-thirds of respondents believe AI will reduce entry-level job opportunities, underscoring awareness of disruption and the need for adaptive skills and forward-looking policies and systems. Youth are early adopters of AI. Nearly 60% of young people report using AI regularly to enhance their skills, with another third experimenting occasionally. Only a small minority have not yet engaged with AI tools.Digital innovation is global and youth-led. Regular AI use among young people is high across regions. These results challenge assumptions that digital innovation is concentrated in a few markets, revealing a generation of early adopters accelerating technological diffusion across the globe. Purpose-built communities counter fragmentation. In an era of polarization, 95% of respondents say that belonging to intentionally designed youth communities provides a critical space for learning, growth and dialogue. Such communities are emerging as vital infrastructures for connection and resilience. Youth action takes diverse and effective forms. While volunteering remains the leading form of youth civic participation globally, young people are shaping societies in different ways. In some regions, digital organizing and advocacy are key channels for change; in others, social entrepreneurship, values-driven career choices and electoral participation define critical pathways for civic impact. Inclusion is imperative – and must continue to evolve. Amid both progress and backlash in diversity and inclusion efforts, young people reaffirm inclusion as essential. Sixty per cent believe current strategies should continue to evolve, while one-quarter deem them adequate, and fewer than one in 10 consider them as unimportant. Across regions, most young professionals call for inclusion policies to be maintained or strengthened. Climate change is the defining global concern – demanding action at every level. Respondents overwhelmingly identify climate change and environmental degradation as the greatest threats to the world. Young people recognize that progress depends on collective effort – with governments, businesses and communities each playing their part. Environmental concerns persist. While inflation and economic instability remain the top personal worries, climate change ranks as the greatest threat to young people’s lives – showing that environmental concern persists even amid financial pressures.Values and purpose are redefining consumption. Environmental and ethical considerations now rank among the top three factors guiding youth purchasing decisions, after quality and affordability. This marks a growing generational shift towards purpose-driven consumption and green entrepreneurship. Turning awareness into action. Young people are advancing climate solutions that address urgent local challenges – from renewable energy and sustainable agriculture to nature conservation and waste reduction. Their leadership emphasizes practical, community-based responses to the climate crisis.8 910Technological outlook Social outlook Environmental outlook11 1213 14 16 17 15 Youth Pulse 2026: Insights from the next generation for a changing world 5