Ukusetshenziswa ngenhloso, okuqukethwe kwesiqephu kanye nabadali bezindaba. Isimo senkundla yezokuxhumana sizizwa siyindawo ehluke kakhulu njengamanje kunaseminyakeni embalwa edlule. Futhi lokho kubonakala ohlotsheni lokuqukethwe abantu abafuna ukukubona futhi bahlanganyele nakho, ikakhulukazi okuvela kumabhrendi. Inhlolovo yethu yakamuva ye-Q1 2026 Pulse yabasebenzisi benkundla yezokuxhumana abangaphezu kuka-2,000 kulo lonke elase-US, UK nase-Australia ibambe uxhaxha lwezinkinga—kusuka ekuthembeni ezindabeni nasemikhiqizo kuya kubadali abathatha izinqumo zezombusazwe kuye kulokho abathemba ukukubona futhi bakugweme ezinkampanini ngo-2026. Idatha kuyo yonke le ndatshana ivela ku-Q1 Pulse Survey ngaphandle uma kushiwo ngenye indlela. Izindaba nokwethembana ezinkundleni zokuxhumana Kube nokuqhuma kwamanethiwekhi okufanele kuqashwe, futhi ukwanda kwabadali bezindaba nabagqugquzeli kuye kwawenza waba nzima umbuzo wokuthi abantu bazitholaphi izindaba zabo. Eqinisweni, imithombo yezokuxhumana manje isiwumthombo wezindaba ovame kakhulu cishe ingxenye yabantu abaningi, iyibeka ngaphambi kwe-TV njengomthombo wezindaba. Lena kwakuyindaba enkulu nakakhulu ka-Gen Z (67%) kanye nezinkulungwane zeminyaka (61%), abakhulume izinkundla zokuxhumana njengomunye wemithombo yabo emithathu ephezulu yezindaba.
Amanethiwekhi aphezulu abantu ababike bewasebenzisa ukuthola izindaba bekuyi-Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit kanye ne-Instagram. Uma kukhulunywa ngendlela abantu ababefuna ngayo lezo zindaba zilethwe kubo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana, kwaxutshwa. Ngamagama abanzi, ubuningi (39%) babantu babike ukuthi bafuna izinhlangano zezindaba nezintatheli ngazinye ukuthi zisebenze kakhulu ezinkundleni zokuxhumana ukuze zabelane ngezibuyekezo eziphula umthetho futhi zihlanganyele nababukeli. Uma ubheka izizukulwane ezincane, kubaluleke kakhulu ku-Gen Z (51%) kanye nezinkulungwane zeminyaka (48%). Lokhu kukhombisa ushintsho esilubona kuzo zonke izinkundla zokuxhumana, ukusuka ekusakazeni nje kuya ekwakheni umphakathi.
Futhi njengoba lesi sifiso somphakathi sikhula, abathengi bafuna izwi abangalethemba, i-AI elibe nomthelela kulo njengoba seligcwele yonke indawo. Ukuthembela ezinkundleni zokuxhumana kuhlala kunjalo phakathi komthelela we-AI Yize ezokuhlalisana kuyindawo enkulu yokukhula kwezinkundla zezindaba, ukukhuphuka kwamathuluzi okukhiqiza amavidiyo e-AI kunikeza abantu ukuthi bame kancane ngalokho abangakwethemba ngempela ku-inthanethi. Ephendula umyalo othi, “Ukwanda kwamathuluzi e-AI okukhiqiza amavidiyo kuholele ekutheni ngithembele kancane ezindabeni engizibona ezinkundleni zokuxhumana,” u-88% wabantu okwaxoxwa nabo uthe bavuma ngokuqinile noma ngandlela thize. I-US ibe nenani eliphezulu kakhulu labantu abavumelana ngokuqinile nalesi sitatimende (46%), kodwa siyiqiniso kuzo zonke izinhlobo zabantu.
Lokhu kwehla kokuthembana bekungelona iqiniso ezinkundleni zokuxhumana zizonke, amazinga okuthembana ezinkundleni zokuxhumana ahlala efana kwabaningi abangaphandle kwale niche. Sekukonke ukwethenjwa kwenyukile ku-16% wabasebenzisi, kusalokhu kufana kuma-49% futhi kwehle ngama-35% kulezi zinyanga eziyi-12 ezidlule. Iningi le-Gen Z (72%) lithi ukwethenjwa kwabo kunyukile noma kusalokhu kunjalo ngaleso sikhathi.
Lapho ukwethenjwa kwanda khona, ikakhulukazi kwakungenxa yokuthuthukiswa kokuvikeleka nobumfihlo, okugqugquzele u-32% wezimpendulo zenhlolovo noma ukuzizwisa okuhle kokuqukethwe (24%). Ukwethenjwa kwehlile ngenxa yezimangalo zolwazi olunganembile (30%) kanye nokwehla okungalawulwa kwe-AI (20%). I-AI iphazamisa ukwethenjwa, kodwa lowo mthelela mkhulu kwezinye izindawo, njengezindaba, kunasezinkundleni zokuxhumana zizonke. Njengamanje, kuthinta ukwethenjwa kakhulu ezindaweni lapho abantu befuna khona iqiniso, ngakho-ke uma uzama ukuxhumana nezilaleli zakho ngendlela ethembekile nesobala, okuqukethwe okukhiqizwe abantu kuseyindlela okufanele uhambe ngayo. Amabhrendi athatha ukuma ezindabeni zomphakathi nezepolitiki Eminyakeni embalwa edlule, ukulindela kwabathengi kuma-brand athatha izitendi kuye kwavela. Kodwa manje abadali nabo basesihlalweni esishisayo ngemibono yabo yangaphambilini neyamanje. Empeleni, idatha yethu ibonisa ukuthi nakuba kungelona iningi, kukhona ukukhetha okuvamile ukuthi amabhrendi athathe ukuma ezindabeni zomphakathi.
Impendulo evame kakhulu uma kuziwa kulo mbuzo kwaba ukukhetha ukuthi amabhrendi athathe isinyathelo ezindabeni kuphela uma kuhlobene ngokuqondile nomkhiqizo noma imboni yabo. Kodwa cishe ingxenye yesine yabasebenzisi ilindele ukuma okucacile ezindabeni ezinkulu zomphakathi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi imboni iyini. Izinombolo bezifana kubadali, nakuba bekunenani elikhulu kancane elithe alithandi uma abadali behileleka kwezombusazwe uma kuqhathaniswa nemikhiqizo (14% vs. 11%). Ama-baby boomers maningi amathuba okuthi angathandi lapho abadali behileleka kwezombusazwe (31%) uma kuqhathaniswa nemikhiqizo (19%).
Kodwa kusho ukuthini ukuthatha isinyathelo ngezinqumo zokuthenga? Abathengi bagwema imikhiqizo, kodwa abavamile ukuphuma endleleni yabo ukuze basekele amabhrendi abelana ngamavelu abo Nakuba iningiabathengi bafuna imikhiqizo ibe nokuma kolunye uhlobo, noma ngabe lokho bekusebenza njengensiza noma uhlobo oluthile lwesitatimende esisobala, umthelela obe nawo ekuziphatheni kwabo kokuthenga uhluke kakhulu:
U-32% wabaphenduli kunhlolovo uthe izimo zezombusazwe azinawo umthelela ezinqumweni zabo zokuthenga, nalezo ezisekelwe enanini nekhwalithi kuphela. U-29% uthe uzoyeka ukuthenga imikhiqizo yemikhiqizo uma amanani abo engqubuzana. Bangu-15% kuphela ababike ukuthenga ngentshiseko imikhiqizo ukusekela amanani omkhiqizo.
Uma ucubungula ukuthi uthathe ukuma yini ezindabeni zomphakathi, ngokuvamile kuba lula uma kuyinkinga ehlobene ngokuqondile nebhizinisi lomkhiqizo wakho. Kodwa isinqumo somuntu ngamunye sincike ezintweni eziningi. Lokhu kungase kuhlanganise ubunzima bendaba, imibono yesisebenzi ehamba phambili, imibono yezikhulu namanani ebhrendi, futhi kuyafaneleka ukwakha uhlu lokuhlola lapho inkinga yezenhlalo ihlangabezana nesethi yemibandela echazwe ngaphambilini.
Okufunwa ngabathengi kwezokuxhumana ngo-2026 I-AI ivela njalo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana, futhi ithinta lokho abantu abafuna ukukubona kumanethiwekhi. Umbiko wethu wakamuva we-2026 Social Media Strategy Strategy uthole ukuthi okuqukethwe okukhiqizwe yi-AI kwakungenye yezinto eziphezulu abakhangisi abahlelelwe ukuzihlola kulo nyaka. Kodwa abathengi bafuna okuqukethwe okwengeziwe okudalwe abantu. Futhi lokhu kunqanyulwa kufaka engxoxweni ebanzi mayelana nokuthi abathengi bafuna ini kumabhrendi ezinkundleni zokuxhumana. Ucwaningo lwethu lwe-Q1 Pulse lubheke kabanzi ukuthi i-AI ikuthinta kanjani ukuziphatha kwabasebenzisi kanye nokubona kuzo zonke izinkundla zokuxhumana. Imiphumela ye-AI ezinkundleni zokuxhumana Sesike sakhuluma ngomphumela i-AI enawo ekuthembeni ezindabeni, kodwa inethonya elibanzi kakhulu. I-AI slop ibe yisihloko esikhulu sengxoxo, futhi ukuphakama kwayo kube yimpikiswano phakathi kwabasebenzisi bezokuxhumana. Ukusabalala kwayo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana kuqinisekiswa ucwaningo lwethu, lapho u-56% wabaphenduli babike ukuthi babona i-AI ixega ezinkundleni zokuxhumana kaningi noma kaningi, nama-83% beyibona okungenani ngezinye izikhathi.
Ama-baby boomers yiwona mancane amathuba okuthi abike ukuthi ayibona njalo, ngo-37% kuphela abayibona njalo kanti u-19% bathi abakaze bayibone. Kodwa-ke, leli qembu liphinde libe nokusabela okungekuhle okunamandla kwe-AI slop, lapho ama-56% ethi angeke akwazi ukuxhumana nayo uma beyibona. I-Gen Z yayinombono ongathathi hlangothi kakhulu ekusebenzisaneni nalolu hlobo lokuqukethwe. U-34% uthe okungenani kungenzeka ukuthi uhlanganyele, kanti u-40% mancane amathuba okuba benze kanjalo. Sekushiwo lokho, futhi yibo okungenzeka kakhulu ukuthi bangalandeli, bathulise noma bavimbe ama-akhawunti ngoba okuqukethwe kwabo kuzwakale sengathi i-AI slop, kanti u-50% uthe sebevele bakwenzile lokho. Lokhu kuqinisa isifundo sokuthi uma abakhangisi namaqembu omphakathi bezosebenzisa i-AI ekudaleni okuqukethwe, idinga ukwenziwa ngenhloso. Ukudalwa kwe-AI ngenxa yokudala akunakwenzeka ukuthi kuzwakale kumakhasimende. Kuyaqapheleka ukuthi imiphumela emibi evela ekudalweni kokuqukethwe kwe-AI ingancishiswa ngezindlela ezimbili. Gcina umuntu ehililekile kuzo zonke izinyathelo zokukhiqizwa kokuqukethwe, futhi ulebule okuqukethwe kwe-AI, njengoba kungokuqukethwe kwe-AI okungabhaliwe abantu abakuphikisa kakhulu.
Izifiso zabathengi zemikhiqizo ezinkundleni zokuxhumana ngo-2026 Uma sikhuluma ngalokho okuthinta amakhasimende, sizoqedela abakufunayo kumabhrendi jikelele ezinkundleni zokuxhumana kulo nyaka. U-66% wabantu uthe bazizwa bekhetha kakhulu okuqukethwe abazibandakanya nakho uma kuqhathaniswa nonyaka odlule, kodwa kubukeka kanjani lokho kukhethwa? Kunesifiso esicacile sokusetshenziswa kokuqukethwe ngamabomu. Izimpendulo eziphezulu zonke zabelana ngalokho njengetimu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi inqamula futhi inciphisa isikhathi sesikrini, ukungena ngemvume ngenjongo noma ukudla okuqukethwe okusekela ukuzithuthukisa.
I-Gen Z (15%) yayinethuba elincane kakhulu lokukhetha ukunqamula/ukunciphisa isikhathi sesikrini ngama-baby boomers okungenzeka kakhulu (29%). I-Gen Z iphinde yafuna ukudala okuqukethwe okuningi futhi idle okuncane ngenani eliphakeme kunawo wonke amanye amanani abantu (11%). Lesi sifiso sokusebenzisa ngamabomu sidluliselwe kulokho abantu abafuna ukukubona kumabhrendi ezinkundleni zokuxhumana. Okuqukethwe kwezemfundo bekuwuhlobo lokuqukethwe elingu-#1 zonke izizukulwane ezifuna ukulibona kumabhrendi.
Umphakathi nawo ubugxile kakhulu kubathengi, u-27% uthi ufuna imikhiqizo igxile kulokhu okuqukethwe. Amabhrendi adinga ukuncika kulesi sikhathi senhloso ngokudala okuqukethwe okuletha abantu ndawonye. Abathengi bagxile ekuzijabuliseni, emfundweni nasemphakathini wokwakha, ngakho-ke ncika kulokho, ikakhulukazi uma kungahlanganiswa kube ifomethi ebuye ihambisane. Isibonelo, ucezu lwezemfundo oluvela emsebenzini ophambili, noma okuqukethwe ngemuva kokwenziwa kwesiqephu.okuqukethwe kokubili kunethuba eliphakeme lokuzwakala. Ubuqiniso phezu kwe-automation Ubuchwepheshe abukaze bukwazi ukukhiqiza okuqukethwe, nokho abasebenzisi abakaze balangazelele kakhulu ukuxhumana nabantu. Njengoba i-Q1 Pulse Survey yethu yembula, inkathi yokuskrola kancane ivumela ukusetshenziswa ngenhloso. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ivimba i-AI slop noma iyahoxa ekuhlanganyeleni, umlayezo oya kumabhrendi nabadali uyavumelana: ikhwalithi, ubuqiniso kanye nomphakathi wonke umthamo we-trump. Izinhlangano kufanele zisuke ekubeni abasakazi ziye kwizinsiza ezithembekile. Amabhrendi adinga ukulandela isu elinezinhlangothi ezintathu zonyaka ozayo:
Ngokuthembela ezindabeni nokuqukethwe kwedijithali okuntengantengayo, ukulebula okuqukethwe okuzenzakalelayo kubalulekile ukuze imikhiqizo ixhumane nezithameli zabo. Izithameli zilangazelela okuqukethwe kokufundisa, ngakho amabhrendi kufanele agxile ekunikezeni inani eliphathekayo kunokujoyina ingxoxo. Ngenkathi abathengi belindele ukuthi imikhiqizo ibe namagugu, lezi zimo zizwakala kakhulu uma zigxile embonini yangempela yomkhiqizo wakho kanye nobuchule.
Ekugcineni, inkundla yezokuxhumana ngo-2026 iklomelisa abahlosile, kanye nemikhiqizo ethanda izinqamuleli ezizenzakalelayo ngaphezu kwengozi yokwakha umphakathi enganakwa unomphela yizithameli ezikhetha kakhulu, nezingabazayo. Ukuze uthole imininingwane eyengeziwe ngalokho abathengi abafuna ukukubona kumabhrendi, kanye nalokho abakhangisi abakuhlelele unyaka ozayo, landa Umbiko Wesu Lokuqukethwe Kwemidiya Yomphakathi wango-2026. Okuthunyelwe Isimo senkundla yezokuxhumana ngo-2026: Idatha evela ocwaningweni lwakamuva lwe-Sprout lwe-pulse luvele kuqala ku-Sprout Social.
