Behavioral Shifts in Gen Z: Examining AI-Enabled Instagram Usage and Its Impact on Purchase Intentions

Abstract

Generation Z's engagement with digital material and decision-making processes have been profoundly impacted by the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) in social media platforms. The artificial intelligence of Instagram, such as personalized reels, targeted ads, and recommendation by influencer, is constantly adjusted to the habits of user interaction, creating a stronger exposure to algorithmically selected content. In this paper, the author explores the changes in behavior of Gen Z users that occur due to AI-enhanced Instagram use and analyses its structural effects on the purchase intention.

The study used a quantitative research strategy and a standardized questionnaire to collect data from 780 members of Generation Z. In this study, researchers used covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) to look at how exposure to AI-induced material affected user engagement, attitude formation, and intent to buy. Findings highlight the importance of engagement and attitude as mediating factors between exposure mediated by AI and purchase intention, with the former having direct effects and the latter having indirect effects. The structural model accounts 68 percent of the difference between purchase intention which represents a considerable level of explanatory power.

Along with the improvement of relevancy and immersion of a platform, the findings also propose that more people can be vulnerable to impulse-focused decisions and less resistant to persuasion attempts. The research contributes to the knowledge of AI-controlled social trade settings and the necessity of responsible development of algorithms, transparency, and online literacy in enhancing sustainable consumption habits among young digital generations.