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The latest trends in society and culture from The Harris Poll
Good afternoon from chilly Washington, D.C.
One Interesting Number: 18.They’re clearly the streaming generation: In a new Harris poll, eighteen percent of Gen Z did not know what cable TV is. Also, (42%) wrongly believe it’s free (that’s network TV), while (39%) can’t name five cable TV channels.
The AI Elf on the Shelf
Retailer and tech collaborations are enabling consumers to use AI elves for their holiday shopping lists, according to our new Harris/Mastercard survey of 4,000 consumers, published in the New York Times.
- What we found: Roughly (42%) of shoppers are already using AI tools for their holiday shopping (Gen Z: 61%, MLS: 57%).
- The stat you can’t ignore: Half of younger consumers would let AI handle all their gift-buying if it meant avoiding stress (Gen Z: 50%, MLS: 49%).
- What to consider: Target, Walmart, and Ralph Lauren unveiled chatbots that act as conversational stylists and shopping assistants, while OpenAI debuted an instant checkout feature in ChatGPT that lets people buy items from stores like Etsy without leaving the chat.
What this means: “The transformation ahead isn’t just technological; it’s psychological,” said Dr. Luca Cian, a professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, as AI tools can help deal with “decision fatigue from endless options.” But many AI tools are still experimental and unproven, failing to offer enough variety and leaving consumer expectations ahead of reality today.
The Billionaire Backlash Era
A short time ago, billionaires were giving pledges. And now they’re living in gilded bunkers, write our colleagues Libby Rodney and Abbey Lunney in their substack. And Americans, they say, are done with it.
- What we found: Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Americans say wealth inequality is a serious national issue.
- The stat you can’t ignore: The share of wealth owned by the top 0.1% grew 59.6% from 1989 to 2024, while the bottom 50% saw their share decline 26.1%.
- What to consider: “This isn’t a fringe movement,” writes Rodney. Most Americans say billionaires are creating an unfair society (67%, +8%-pts from 2024) and their activities contribute to inflation (66%, +8%-pts).
What this means: The data reveals something every business leader needs to understand: America’s relationship with extreme wealth is shifting in fundamental ways. The admiration is evaporating. There’s been an 11% drop since 2022 in Americans saying “I look up to billionaires.”
Gen Z’s Favorite Vacation Destination: Wherever Their Boss Sends Them
More young people are elevating their work-travel experience and adding vacation time to the company card, according to a Business Insider/Harris Poll.
- What we found: Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z workers bundle business and personal travel to create elevated experiences and mini-vacations.
- The stat you can’t ignore: Nearly nine in ten Gen Z and seven in ten Millennials see work trips as a chance to upgrade their lifestyles and pay out of pocket for upgraded flights and nicer hotels (a Hotels.com report).
- What to consider: The algorithm makes this all feel normal, as Gen Z has grown up watching influencers treated to all-expenses-paid, business-class trips, given hotel-room tours of expensive suites, and ordering room service.
What this means: “Younger generations are so experience-oriented and savvy about travel,” says Christie Hudson, a travel expert for Hotels.com. They’re “posting their upgraded flights, their cute outfits, and hotel room — and then going to the conference.” Yet, for a generation deep in the trenches of buy-now-pay-later and drowning in personal debt, keeping up with the Joneses might just be creating more problems than experiences.
