Paper – Gen AI – Tool or Friend?

Abstract: As various Generative AI (GenAI) tools and technologies begin to shape new contours of daily life in India, systematic explorations of how young people encounter these tools in everyday life remain nascent. This study, consequently, examines how youth aged 18-30 across four Southern Indian states encounter and integrate GenAI tools in their daily lives. It employs a mixed methods approach synthesising findings from an exploratory online survey conducted between 2024 and 2025 and qualitative insights from a group discussion held in 2025 to explore patterns of use, perceived benefits, risks, and emotional attachments to GenAI systems.

While the sample widely uses Gen AI tools for cognitively demanding tasks, our findings reveal that a group of young Indians is also turning to GenAI for emotional and psychological support. Notably, across these use cases, engagement with GenAI is diverse and fluid, and marked by uneven levels of understanding and concern about how these systems function and the risks they pose.By situating these practices within the Southern Indian sociotechnical context, this paper contributes to advancing an understanding of the delicate balance between cognitive offloading, evident in concerns about over-reliance and skill erosion, and emerging forms of AI companionship. This paper serves as an empirical reference for understanding how young citizens in Southern India navigate GenAI tools in their everyday lives, with broader relevance for youth-focused digital policy and AI governance in India.