Decision Lab’s latest Connected Consumer Report for Q2 2025 reveals Vietnam’s digital landscape entering a new phase of convergence. Social media habits are aligning across generations, AI is continuing to be an increasingly integral part of daily life, and livestreaming is evolving from pure entertainment into a key driver of commerce and connection.
Generational divide narrows as Vietnam’s social media habits converge in Q2 2025
While consumers have continued to rely on familiar digital platforms, younger audiences have increasingly gravitated toward more interactive, video-driven spaces. The generational gap in platform adoption has been gradually closing, as users across age groups have engaged with a similar range of must-have platforms. However, their content preferences have still shown distinct differences.
Download the full Connected Consumer Q2 2025 report.
Across generations, Facebook and Zalo have remained central hubs for communication and community. At the same time, TikTok has continued to rise as a key platform for Gen Y and Gen Z, reflecting a shift toward entertainment-led engagement. Meanwhile, YouTube has maintained steady relevance across all age groups, cementing its cross-generational appeal.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai Tram, Head of Insight Velocity Practice at Decision Lab, advises brands to:
“Recognise that audience segmentation by age is no longer enough. Brands should build cross-generational strategies that balance familiarity with innovation, leveraging Facebook and Zalo for broad connection, while using video-first platforms like TikTok and YouTube to deepen engagement and drive cultural relevance.”
AI has continued to shift from early adoption to embedded utility
As conversational tools like ChatGPT have become part of daily life, Gen Z has continued exploring new platforms with curiosity, while older users have remained more selective in what they try. This has demonstrated how rapidly technology has been adopted, yet also how each generation has approached it differently. With AI now connecting consumers and brands more directly, it has transformed how people discover, interact, and make decisions online.
Download the full Connected Consumer Q2 2025 report.
ChatGPT, Gemini, and Meta AI have maintained their leading positions across all generations. However, Gemini’s notable rise among Gen X users this quarter highlights a utility-driven focus on search and assistant functions. The pattern highlights a maturing stage of adoption, where each generation has formed stable preferences aligned with their comfort, purpose, and familiarity with technology.
Livestreaming has consolidated its role beyond entertainment
Gen Z is driving the rise of commerce-focused platforms like Shopee, where livestreams are turning into key shopping channels. Meanwhile, Gen X and Y remain more active on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. This difference highlights how livestreaming has evolved beyond a single format, now shaped by each generation’s idea of value, whether that means buying convenience, social connection, or valuable information.
Download the full Connected Consumer Q2 2025 report.
Particularly, TikTok has experienced a decline among Gen Y users this quarter, suggesting signs of content fatigue or shifting attention toward more utility-driven platforms. In contrast, Shopee has continued to gain traction among Gen Z, as the generation increasingly embraces livestreaming as part of their shopping routine.
Mr. Thue Quist Thomasen, CEO of Decision Lab, shares:
“Livestreaming has moved beyond entertainment to become a key point of engagement and commerce. As Gen Z turns livestreams into shopping moments and older generations use them for social or informational value, brands must design content that drives both connection and conversion, blending storytelling with real-time action.”