With the long-term impact of lockdown yet to be fully felt, there are signs of what the ‘new normal’ looks like. Take Replika, the AI chatbot helping Gen Zers to feel less lonely. As tech fulfils a multitude of needs for young people, a chatbot may be the next frontier in friendship.

People are more forgiving of chatbots than other humans when it comes to mistakes – however, most still prefer to speak with real people when they're dealing with significant problems. This reveals an important nuance for brands to take into account when designing customer experiences.

Social media platforms have enabled fans to feel closer to their idols than ever. By managing direct messages with a mass audience, LA-based Community helps celebrities dodge call-out culture and satisfy an increasing demand for genuine communication through direct text messaging.

Messaging, mostly an intimate and private form of communication, is being used by brands to connect with their consumers. As people spend more time on messaging apps than ever, c-commerce is set to grow in importance as a touchpoint between people and brands.