Gen Z and Gen Alpha are reshaping modern storytelling, with a growing preference for relatable characters, more authentic neurodivergent representation and digital platforms such as YouTube, according to the 2026 Teens and Screens report from the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The report also points to a more complex relationship between younger audiences and artificial intelligence (AI). Although the technology has sparked concerns about the future of entertainment, many young people are curious about its creative potential, challenging assumptions that younger viewers are uniformly opposed to AI-generated content.
Now in its fifth year, the study examines the media habits and preferences of more than 1,500 Americans aged 10 to 24. Its findings suggest that young audiences do not draw a strict line between traditional entertainment and digital content. Instead, they value storytelling across formats, from short social media videos to television programmes, films and video games.
YouTube emerged as the leading storytelling medium, selected by 72.9% of respondents. TikTok was the highest-ranked social media platform, with 64.2% choosing it as a preferred medium. Television shows followed at 70.3%, closely ahead of movies at 70.2%, while video games attracted 68.5%.
The findings also challenge the assumption that growing up with smartphones and social media has made younger audiences less interested in cinema. Going to the cinema remained their favourite weekend activity for the third consecutive year, suggesting that traditional film experiences continue to hold value alongside digital entertainment.
Similar patterns have emerged in Europe. According to the Cinema Advertising Association, people under 35 account for 50% of cinema audiences in the United Kingdom. CineEurope has also reported that 47% of young people discover films through TikTok, highlighting the growing influence of social media on how audiences find and engage with movies.
These trends present an important consideration for entertainment companies seeking to reach younger viewers. While digital platforms have expanded the ways people discover stories, the report suggests that audiences also want content that reflects their experiences, relationships and identities more accurately.
Neurodivergent representation emerged as a particular concern. More than half of respondents, 55%, said they wanted to see more neurodivergent characters on screen, with demand increasing among LGBTQIA+ young people.
The figures also point to a gap between the representation audiences see and the portrayals they consider authentic. Only 22.7% said depictions of neurodivergence in current media “ring true to real life” most of the time.
The issue of authenticity has been central to debates about how autistic people and others who are neurodivergent are represented in film and television. One prominent example was Music, the 2021 directorial debut of Australian singer Sia. The film faced widespread criticism for casting Maddie Ziegler, a neurotypical actress, as a nonverbal autistic girl. The backlash highlighted concerns about casting choices and whether productions adequately reflect the lived experiences of the communities they portray.
Beyond neurodivergence, young audiences expressed a desire for stories that offer a wider range of emotional experiences and more recognisable social relationships. Respondents called for “hopeful, uplifting stories with people beating the odds”, stronger portrayals of friendships and social groups, and characters whose lives resemble their own.
Their preferences also extend to romantic relationships. The findings build on earlier research suggesting that younger viewers want less emphasis on sex in films and television, alongside more meaningful portrayals of platonic relationships. In the latest report, 52% of respondents said they believed romantic relationships occupied a more central place in fictional characters’ lives than they did in reality.
For young viewers, the issue is not simply whether stories include diverse characters. It is also whether those characters have believable relationships, ordinary experiences and identities that extend beyond a single defining trait.
“The call for greater neurodivergent and friendship representation is just some examples we found of the broader demand for more diverse and authentic portrayals,” said study co-author Stephanie Rivas-Lara.
The report’s findings on artificial intelligence reveal another dimension of changing audience expectations. AI has become increasingly visible in entertainment, from digitally generated characters to AI-assisted content shared across social media. Its rapid growth has prompted debate about creative ownership, authenticity and the future role of human performers.
Yet the young people surveyed expressed a range of reactions rather than outright rejection. Some 28.2% said they were “fascinated” by AI, while 25.6% described themselves as “excited”. Others were more concerned, with 22% saying they felt “doomed” and 10.1% reporting that they were “scared”.
Age also appeared to influence attitudes. Among respondents aged 10 to 13, 44.2% described programmes about AI as “fascinating”, making the youngest group particularly interested in the subject.
These results do not necessarily mean young people support every use of AI in entertainment. Curiosity about the technology is different from accepting AI-generated actors, scripts or productions without question. However, the findings suggest that the relationship between younger audiences and AI is more varied than a simple division between supporters and opponents would imply.
The report’s wider findings come as cinema continues to recover from the sharp decline in attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic. For some younger viewers, going to the cinema offers an opportunity to spend time away from their phones, share an experience with others and connect with a wider community.
At the same time, films developed from internet culture are finding their way onto cinema screens. Recent releases such as Backrooms and Obsession, directed by YouTube creators, illustrate how stories and creative ideas that emerge online can reach audiences through traditional film distribution. Their connection to internet culture also reflects the influences that have shaped the entertainment habits of younger generations.
This movement between online platforms and cinema suggests that the future of storytelling may depend less on choosing between old and new formats than on understanding how they work together. A story can attract attention through a short video, build an audience through an online community and eventually reach viewers as a feature-length film.
For studios, broadcasters and digital creators, the challenge is to recognise that access to content does not automatically translate into audience loyalty. Younger viewers have more ways to discover entertainment, compare perspectives and decide which stories deserve their attention. Their expectations around representation, relationships and emerging technology are part of that decision.
“The gatekeepers have changed, and young people themselves are deciding what they want to watch and what they want to see more of in the content they choose,” said Yalda T. Uhls, founder and chief executive of the Center for Scholars & Storytellers and an adjunct professor in UCLA’s psychology department.
Uhls argued that entertainment industry leaders should listen to young people as well as experts focused on positive youth development and well-being. She said the report demonstrates why that engagement matters when creating content that appeals to today’s audiences.
The findings offer no single formula for winning over Gen Z and Gen Alpha. They do, however, point to a clear set of expectations: stories should be accessible across different platforms, characters should feel authentic, and new technologies should be understood through the perspectives of the audiences encountering them. For an entertainment industry adapting to changing habits, listening to younger viewers may be as important as deciding where and how the next story is told.
