India, 22 January 2026: GIPSI, the HI + AI insights division of Tonic Worldwide, has released inSIGHT 2026, its annual consumer trends and cultural intelligence report. From convenient wellness to algorithm resistance and artificial emotions, the report brings consumer behaviour undercurrents shaping consumers today. GIPSI goes deeper into evolving consumer habits and mindsets, capturing the quiet shifts that often go unnoticed amid market noise.
Snooze is the New Booze: With 28.8 million+ searches around ‘Breakfast Clubs’ in 2025, mornings are the new happy hours. With health emerging as a new marker of status and self-care, consumers are actively reworking their habits and routines. Rest as well as activity are no longer passive, they’re constantly tracked, optimised and flexed. Running Reel edits on Instagram, flexing running metrics have generated 551K+ total engagement, while booze boozing are replacing late nights and beers with 25.7 million+ searches around ‘Non-Alcoholic Beer’.
(AI) Artificial Intelligence → Artificial Emotion (AE): 175 million+ total engagement on top 10 Reels on ‘AI Girlfriend/Boyfriend’, shows that we are now dealing with Artificial Emotions (AE). From therapists and career coaches to well-being monitors and companions, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is evolving into Artificial Emotion (AE). Now, 18-25 year-olds account for 36% of AI users who use it to monitor or improve their well-being. As algorithms started with computing, intelligence was easy to accept. Emotion, however, changes the rules entirely.
Gen Z is Changing Diapers: Have you updated your Gen Z consumer persona yet? Because they’re entering parenthood, 28% of Gen Z consumers say they buy into brands to be part of the community they build, while 52% of Indian Gen Z parents already use AI over traditional search engines for advice and decision-making. The avocado-toast stereotype now coexists with Gen Z parents debating screen ethics, content quality and emotional well-being, making it clear that Gen Z can no longer be viewed only through the youth-culture lens.
Dodging the Algorithm is the New Sport: 4.6 million+ engagement on Reels about ‘Bloom Scrolling’ shows how reclaiming attention has become a quiet but powerful act of rebellion. The algorithm may have promised relevance, but consumers are increasingly choosing resistance. Users are actively rebuilding their feeds, muting recommendations, resetting histories and opting out of forced discovery. Searches for ad blockers have crossed 114 million+ globally, while content explaining how to reset social media algorithms has generated 8.5 million+ views on YouTube.
Pill for Every Kill: A 75% rise in searches for ‘Glutathione tablets’(skin brightening tablets) in 2025 vs 2023 shows how ‘informed’ audiences are about seeking pills(convenience) for every problem. Weight struggles, hair loss, anxiety and sleepless nights once meant elaborate routines, restrictive diets and expensive procedures. Searches for next-gen weight-loss drugs such as Tirzepatide are up 67% year-on-year, Ozempic-related content has crossed 437K+ Instagram posts, and interest in shortcut wellness formats like synbiotics has grown 4 times. From complex protocols to palm-sized fixes swallowed with morning coffee, convenience has decisively won.
Queenager Era: 50% AI Adoption and massive influence are reasons why Queenagers are the tech tastemakers brands cannot ignore. Meet Queenagers – women over 45 who are digitally savvy, highly intentional in how they use social media, and quietly a powerful target group. 34% use social platforms primarily to find inspiration, while 29% actively seek like-minded communities, making their engagement purposeful rather than performative. Queenagers combine purchasing power with influence, yet remain largely overlooked by brands. This untapped cohort represents a wide-open opportunity. Is your brand ready to uncover them?
Speaking on the findings of the inSIGHT 2026 report, Anjali Malthankar, Global Strategy director and GIPSI co-head, Tonic Worldwide says, “With GIPSI inSIGHT 2026, we wanted to move beyond surface level trends and decode the deeper shifts shaping consumer behaviour today. From the rise of Artificial Emotion and Gen Z stepping into parenthood, to consumers actively dodging algorithms and redefining wellness, this report reflects how people are reclaiming control, choice and meaning in their lives. Our hope is that these insights help brands re-look, re-discover and re-align with a consumer who is far more intentional, emotional and evolved than ever before.”
Unmisha Bhatt, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Tonic Worldwide, expressed, “The second (2026) edition of GIPSI inSIGHT captures the tensions and contradictions brands must navigate. These aren’t distant trends; they’re immediate realities reshaping how businesses must think about relevance, innovation and growth. Whether it’s addressing the rise of Gen Z parents or understanding algorithm resistance, the insights in this report are built to drive real business decisions, from product development to campaign. We’re excited to see how brands will respond to these evolving consumer truths and transform them into meaningful market moves.”
For this report, GIPSI has used a unique methodology of HI+ AI which triangulates multiple data points to decode and deliver actionable insights. The model applied for this report is 360 degree GIPSI.
inSIGHT 2026 report can be accessed at : inSIGHT2026
