Is Gen Z Truly Connected?
Unveiling the Future of Mental Wellness for Gen Z in the Digital Age
Written by the spring 2024 99P Labs x CMU Integrated Product Development Capstone Team
Edited by 99P Labs
The 99P Labs x CMU IPD Capstone Team is part of the Master of Integrated Innovation for Products & Services program at Carnegie Mellon University’s Integrated Innovation Institute.
In today’s hyper-connected world, where digital interactions often dominate, there’s a growing concern about the mental wellness of Gen Z now and beyond. To investigate this further, Honda Research Institute US (HRI-US) and 99P Labs collaborated with MIIPS graduate students from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) as part of their capstone project.
Through surveys and interviews with 150+ Gen Zs across the US, the team uncovered insightful information about their struggles, needs, and values, ultimately leading to a groundbreaking solution proposal: chipii.
chipii is not just another mental wellness app. It’s an integrated hardware-software solution designed to address the unique social challenges faced by Gen Z. With GenAI, biometrics, and personalized coaching, chipii aims to empower Gen Zs to build their social confidence, foster meaningful connections, and ultimately improve their overall wellness.
This blog post delves deeper into the research leading to the various aspects of chipii, from its novel technology to its business potential, and explores how it can revolutionize the way we approach mental wellness in the upcoming digital age.
Table of Contents
· Discovering a Unique Opportunity
∘ Part 1: A Negative Reinforcement Loop
∘ Part 2: The Impact of Meaningful Connections
∘ Part 3 : Reconnecting Gen Z with the Joy of Interpersonal Connections
· The New Framework towards Social Wellness
· chipii: A Muscle Builder and A Guiding Force
· Hey chipii
· A Promising Future
· Final Thoughts on chipii’s Potential
· Curious about chipii?
Before we dive in, let’s meet the team behind chipii.
Hello, I’m Amanda! I’m a product manager who’s passionate about improving the state of consumer health and wellness with the power of AI. Prior to CMU, I spearheaded product and business development initiatives at med-tech startups and large mental health companies in Canada.
- Fun facts: I’ve been to Mars, and I frequently compete in triathlons.
Ciao, I’m Kat! I am a UX-centered product strategist with a comprehensive skill set. I passionately drive business success from research and conception through to market. Before my time at CMU, I was instrumental in executing transformative initiatives for industry leaders at a top global consulting firm, enhancing my expertise in Gen Z trends across different continents.
- Fun facts: Apologies, I must dash! My schedule is as dynamic, going to Mars tomorrow to meet my friend Amanda there.
Hey, I’m Dora (not the explorer)! I am a problem-driven product designer who executes functional and delightful experiences that drive user engagement in all mediums, from e-commerce to interactive art. I take inspiration from the world around me and am always ready for new opportunities. Check out more of my projects here!
- Fun facts: Once I land on Mars with Amanda, I will be the explorer.
Bonjour, I’m Rishi! I’m a product strategist and designer with a keen interest in mobility and wearable space. Before joining CMU, I’ve executed multiple high impact projects for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies alike, spanning 3 continents (Europe, Asia, & North America).
- Fun facts: I carried Amanda on my shoulders to Mars, and I can do the Russian accent.
Hola, I’m Krishna. I’m a results-driven product manager with a knack for turning ideas into reality. My experience spans diverse domains, including fintech, gaming, and e-commerce, across organizations of varying scales, allowing me to adapt and thrive in dynamic environments.
- Fun facts: I’ve been practicing my zero-gravity exercises to ensure I’m ready for our Mars adventure.
Ahoy! I am Nihaal. I am an entrepreneur at heart and a roboticist in-progress. My expertise sits right at the intersection of engineering, design & business. I love solving problems with technology and re-defining the blueprint of possibility. Before CMU, I founded a tech startup which was funded on SharkTank India, giving me hands-on experience of the entire product development lifecycle.
- Fun Fact: I drew up the mission plan for Rishi to carry Amanda to Mars.
Discovering a Unique Opportunity
Part 1: A Negative Reinforcement Loop
Contrary to the belief set forth by the world wide web, Gen Z today is the most isolated generation in modern society, with 73% reporting loneliness. Fringe friendships, those of casual, proximity-based friendships, are also declining and being replaced with parasocial relationships, which are one-sided, typically over social media. However, unlike previous generations, Gen Z actively seeks support and expresses their feelings. In fact, TikTok has become a place to share their mental health struggles, learn from therapists, and find communities facing similar challenges.
Yet, the cycle of frustration still persists despite the mounting services available online. Increased conveniences provided by digital technology have also replaced day-to-day human interaction with simply pushing buttons on a phone (think pick-up orders and self-checkout). The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for this existing societal shift, further isolating Gen Z’s in a pivotal time in their lives. This interaction deficit leads to a loss of confidence to engage in interpersonal conversations, reinforcing Gen Z’s use of digital services. What used to be relational relationships is transformed into transactional relationships, where the need and the ability to express actually decline. We called this phenomenon “loss of social muscle.”
Part 2: The Impact of Meaningful Connections
Studies show that, on average, people who have strong social connections are happier, healthier, and live longer than those who don’t. Through the survey with 100 Gen Z’s, we noticed a positive correlation (coefficient 0.276) between social life and mental wellness. Meaningful social interactions effectively bring delight to Gen Z to destress and recharge. Among the 15 categories of leisure activities, users rank “coffee and good food” and “spending time with friends/family/partner” as the most joyful activities.
However, 54% of surveyed Gen Zs reported struggles with building social connections but sought improvements in social skills.
“I am not satisfied with my current social life since I think it largely depends on 1 or 2 people.”
“I want to make more friends, but my anxiety makes it hard. I think too much about what I say and do.”
“ I have a great social life when I have time to, but lately I really haven’t had much time to.”
Part 3 : Reconnecting Gen Z with the Joy of Interpersonal Connections
Gen Z’s unique struggle with balancing social wellness, adulting, and rapid-shifting technology leads to the core opportunity.
How might we help Gen Z build social muscle and provide them with confidence in forming interpersonal connections to improve their mental wellness?
Based on primary and secondary research, we identified a subset of Gen Z’s that has reported the most dissatisfaction regarding current social wellness.
The Gen Z archetype
Age 21–26 years old, living in urban and suburban areas
- Navigating key life transitions (graduation, relocation, career shift, etc)
- Struggling with taking initiative and being comfortable at interpersonal social occasions
- Eager to develop social skills and feel more at ease with face-to-face conversations
The New Framework towards Social Wellness
Social muscle is the ability to comfortably express and communicate through verbal and non-verbal cues in face-to-face interactions, encompassing clear articulation and holistic social engagement.
Think of social wellness as finding the right balance between hitting the gym and having those heart-to-heart chats. Just as muscles need good nutrition to stay strong, one also needs rich, authentic stories to fuel conversations. Hence, the following formula forms the basis of chipii, an experience that is designed to enhance one’s social muscle.
chipii provides the protein for Gen Z’s social diet, broadening their knowledge and conversation topics. With regular practice, Gen Z feels more at ease in social situations, boosting their confidence to express themselves authentically.
chipii: A Muscle Builder and A Guiding Force
chipii is a generative AI and biometrics-powered social coach and companion that helps Gen Z build social muscle and prepare for social scenarios anytime and anywhere. It follows a holistic cycle of prepare-engage-reflect for optimum growth.
chipii is a hardware-software solution powered by 3 core technologies.
An AI vocal coach trained to teach social skills
- An LLM and speech tool trained on social psychology, conversational dialogues, mental health best practices and more. It is adaptive to individuals’ social and communication styles and learns over time.
A biometrics-powered wearable skin patch
- Place it on a user’s chest under their clothes like a band-aid to measure biometrics such as heart rate & heart rate variability (HRV) and record the user’s voice for prosody, sentiment, and semantic analysis.
A digital application interface
- Available on any smart IoT device with a screen to chat with chipii, visualize performance stats, and identify areas for improvement.
Now, let’s say hi to chipii!
Hey chipii
Step 1: Prepare
Whenever and wherever the user want, they can start a conversation with chipii through their smartphone. All they have to do is say “hey chipii” and begin to chat about their interests, or practice for specific conversations.
It is scientifically proven that improving conversation skills via role-play boosts confidence, comfort, speaking fluency, and real-time adaptability, which text-based options like ChatGPT do not enable. Prior research has shown that simulation-based learning is highly effective for communication skills. Additionally, speech practice enables “rubber ducking,” coined by software engineers to talk out loud and debug, which users can replicate for their situations.
Step 2: Engage
When venturing outdoors, chipii takes a temporary break. It makes note of how the user speak and how their body performs over time. chipii patch rests discreetly on the user’s chest to prevent unwanted attention.
Wearing and carrying chipii around is as easy as they say! When not in use, the patch lies in its case, getting charged and always ready to help. Additionally, chipii respects users’ privacy, where they can opt-out anytime.
chipii patch primarily collects data for 2 critical analysis: vocal analysis and body performance. By integrating physiological responses with vocal cues, chipii develops a more comprehensive understanding of user’s performance at social interactions, that includes stress and emotions.
Imagine a scenario where the user engages in a conversation that triggers nervousness. If their heart rate spikes while their tone remains stable, this incongruence could indicate underlying feelings of anxiety or discomfort, which may not be evident through vocal analysis alone.
Step 3: Reflect
After coming back from an event or at anytime, user can engage with chipii by chatting about the events and viewing performance stats.
“I tried some of the suggestions but still felt awkward. Can we chat about it?”
The ACFR chart, also known as attention-confidence-flexibility-respect, is the stats that measure user’s growth throughout their chipii journey. By capturing both users’ physical performance, such as heart rate variability, and speech performance, like prosody, users are able to visually see their progress towards social success.
By incorporating a visual and gamified representation of progress, users will be more likely to come back to chipii and also progress quicker, as research shows. Consumer applications like Duolingo as well as wearable technology like Apple Watch and Oura Ring have mastered the power of visualizing metrics for increased progress. Codesign sessions with 2 Gen Z’s confirmed the need for a visual indicator of progress.
A Cycle of Positive Reinforcement
In the context of Gen Z’s hyper-connected yet socially isolated world, chipii becomes pivotal for several reasons:
- It acknowledges the unique struggles faced by Gen Z, who are often immersed in digital environments but may lack the necessary social skills to form authentic connections offline.
- It leverages technology to bridge the gap between virtual interactions and real-world social dynamics, helping users navigate the complexities of interpersonal relationships in both online and offline settings.
- It aligns with Gen Z’s value for discreteness, security, growth, and empowerment by offering a solution that is both relevant and transformative in their pursuit of social fulfillment and wellness in an increasingly interconnected world.
- It taps an unexplored segment by specializing in social skills enhancement through a personalized AI model. Other offerings, like Pi offer guidance for many topics through conversational AI; however, they are not personalized or track user progress in social situations over time.
A Promising Future
As a Product:
chipii doesn’t stop at building social muscle that improves individual wellness. It initiates a journey of personal growth, enabling social wellness, confidence in social situations, and the ability to form meaningful connections. Beyond this, the more individuals that are individually and socially well, the greater the impact on society and the community. Societal wellness is highly dependent on social connections. After all, the survival and evolutionary success of Homo sapiens can be attributed in part to our profound reliance on social connections, which facilitated cooperation, shared knowledge, and collective problem-solving throughout history.
As a Business:
A versatile solution like chipii represents a significant business opportunity for both B2C and B2B spaces.
B2C Potential: chipii strategically fits within the emerging market for personalized tech solutions tailored to Gen Z’s preferences . With a focus on addressing key Gen Z interests and diverse applications in social scenarios, chipii is positioned for sustained growth and success.
B2B Potential: Beyond just chipii, it has the potential to expand usability across different sectors such as healthcare, education, and internal training, opening up revenue streams through partnerships and licensing to businesses looking to capitalize on enhanced social technology solutions. We foresee chipii evolving as an open API platform that invites developers and businesses to customize for their own needs.
As a Brand:
chipii is designed to encourage social engagement, connection, and personal empowerment, and thus is a good catalyst for community building among Gen Z. We envision chipii to empower the movement that addresses loneliness felt by many Gen Zs, furthermore providing safe spaces for in-person interaction, forging new friendships, and feeling empowered in a supportive atmosphere.
Final Thoughts on chipii’s Potential
The integration of social AI and wearable technology represents a promising frontier for enhancing Gen Z’s mental wellness through strengthened social connections. Instead of disrupting human-to-human interactions, these technologies can enrich and empower them.
chipii exemplifies how leveraging AI, wearable technology, and a practice-engage-reflect feedback loop can create significant, positive impacts on social health. Companies aiming to genuinely serve Gen Z can take inspiration from chipii, utilizing the product suite as a model for using technology to foster real, meaningful connections and promote holistic, future wellness.
Curious about chipii?
To dive deeper into our research or ask any questions, please reach out to:
amanget@andrew.cmu.edu, kkalla@andrew.cmu.edu, leyiz@andrew.cmu.edu, nadarsh@andrew.cmu.edu, rhiremat@andrew.cmu.edu, xinxuang@andrew.cmu.edu
