HeyGen Survey: Gen Z Faces Video Pressure Yet Resists Avatar Solution

HeyGen's latest research reveals a stark generational divide in video adoption: the generation most pressured to show up on camera is the least willing to use AI avatars to do so. Published in September 2026, the "State of AI Avatars" survey of over 1,000 small business owners across five generations found that 63% of Gen Z report losing business to competitors with greater video visibility—the highest rate among all age groups. Yet only 40.7% of Gen Z currently use AI avatar technology, the lowest adoption rate across generations, despite facing the most acute competitive pressure.