The Jalpa generation (Generation Z + Generation Alpha) is rapidly changing how it consumes content. Generative AI was used not as a search tool but like a "task operating system (OS)" to carry out assignments, and time once spent on games has shifted to artificial intelligence (AI) chats and personal live streams. Reading, too, is spreading as a culture that expresses taste and identity through recording and sharing, not just by reading books.
KT Millie's library, Mindlogic, and IGAworks held a media seminar titled "Trends of the first half of 2026 read through data: the new everyday life reshaped by the Jalpa generation" on the 15th at PR Bridge in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, and, based on each company's user data, presented the Jalpa generation's content consumption, AI use, and mobile usage patterns.
Kim Jin-uk, CEO of Mindlogic, explained the Jalpa generation's AI usage patterns based on data from the Generative AI integrated platform "FactChat." Kim said, "The Jalpa generation no longer uses AI simply as a search tool to get answers to questions but uses it like an OS," and added, "They choose the optimal AI model depending on the task—assignments and writing, image generation, document analysis, and presentation (PPT) creation."
Rather than sticking to a specific AI service, the Jalpa generation freely moved among ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others to suit the nature of the task. In fact, token usage on FactChat shows that the share of ChatGPT, which accounted for most usage through last year, declined this year, while Claude steadily rose and, for the first time, overtook ChatGPT. This suggests users have begun choosing AI based on performance and intended use rather than a particular brand.
The way they converse with AI has also changed. Instead of asking once and getting an answer, long-form conversations that attach materials or request revisions to complete outputs have surged. According to FactChat, the average input per message rose 2.8 times, from 9,700 tokens in September last year to 27,100 tokens in June this year. About a quarter of all conversations were in-depth exchanges with 10 or more messages back and forth.
Leisure time trends have shifted, too. Yoo Kyung-won, head of enterprise marketing at IGAworks, said, "Entertainment is ultimately a battle to capture leisure time," and noted, "The Jalpa generation responds more strongly to participatory and interactive entertainment than to entertainment you just watch."
According to IGAworks Mobile Index, from June last year to June this year, total time spent on mobile entertainment rose 3.6%, while time spent on games fell 6.3%. During the same period, monthly active users (MAU) of the top five AI chat apps increased 81%, and personal live streams rose 50%. The analysis is that the center of mobile leisure time is shifting from games to interactive services such as AI chats and personal live streams.
Reading culture has also changed. Lee Sin-hyeong, head of the unlimited reading team at Millie's library, said, "Even in a video-centric era, reading is steadily spreading, centered on e-books and audiobooks," and analyzed, "After reading a book, the Jalpa generation leaves a Highlight or writes a one-line review and shares it on social media, and a 'Text Hip' culture has taken root among them."
In fact, members who used the reading record feature read an average of 1.9 times more than those who did not. Members who began recording increased their reading volume from a three-month pre-recording average of 6.2 books to 8.6 books in the first month of recording, and maintained a level of 7.4 books even six months after. Teens preferred immersive content such as novels, while people in their 20s showed a relatively higher share of interest in classics such as world literature collections.