As AI Fatigue Grows, BeReal Finds New Momentum with Gen Z
- Ben Moore, US Managing Director at BeReal
- AI and Automation, Content Strategy and Marketing, Customer Experience (CX), Data Management and Analytics, Digital Transformation, Media and Adtech Optimization, Other Martech, Platform and Data Integration, Strategy and Trends
As social platforms fill with AI-generated content, algorithmic feeds, and polished creator posts, BeReal sees an opening. Ben Moore, US Managing Director at BeReal, said the app’s core promise of authenticity is resonating again, especially with Gen Z users looking for a more human way to connect online.
In a recent conversation with Martechify, Ben described BeReal as a platform built around a simple idea: Social media should help people stay in touch, not trap them in endless scrolling.
“We don’t want people to spend too much time on BeReal,” Ben said. “We want them to be able to share their moments, check in on their friends and family, and go back to their real lives as well.”
That philosophy stands in sharp contrast to the engagement-first model that shapes much of modern social media. While major platforms often optimize for time spent and ad impressions, BeReal focuses on brief, intentional participation. Its signature once-a-day notification prompts users to capture an unfiltered moment using both the front and back cameras on their phones, showing both what they’re doing and what they look like in that moment.
For Ben, that format remains central to the platform’s identity because it encourages authenticity in a digital environment increasingly crowded with bots, filters, and synthetic content. “People can see what you see, but also people can see your face while you’re capturing this real moment,” he said.
In a recent conversation with Martechify, Ben described BeReal as a platform built around a simple idea: Social media should help people stay in touch, not trap them in endless scrolling.
“We don’t want people to spend too much time on BeReal,” Ben said. “We want them to be able to share their moments, check in on their friends and family, and go back to their real lives as well.”
That philosophy stands in sharp contrast to the engagement-first model that shapes much of modern social media. While major platforms often optimize for time spent and ad impressions, BeReal focuses on brief, intentional participation. Its signature once-a-day notification prompts users to capture an unfiltered moment using both the front and back cameras on their phones, showing both what they’re doing and what they look like in that moment.
For Ben, that format remains central to the platform’s identity because it encourages authenticity in a digital environment increasingly crowded with bots, filters, and synthetic content. “People can see what you see, but also people can see your face while you’re capturing this real moment,” he said.
Watch the full interview with BeReal’s Ben Moore to hear why authenticity, not algorithms, may define the next era of social media. Learn how Gen Z’s growing fatigue with AI-generated content, endless scrolling, and polished feeds is creating new momentum for platforms built around real connection and intentional sharing.
Authenticity becomes a strategic advantage
What began as a viral anti-polish app now appears to be benefiting from a deeper cultural shift. Ben said BeReal has seen spikes in new downloads over the last six months, driven in part by growing frustration with AI-generated media on other platforms.
“There is a fatigue, there is a trust crisis from Gen Z that is pushing back against AI,” Ben said. He added that younger users want to connect in ways that do not feel manipulated by algorithms and are increasingly skeptical of feeds overloaded with what he called “AI slop.”
That shift also intersects with a growing mental health conversation around social media. At a time when concerns about anxiety, self-esteem, and digital overload continue to shape public debate, Ben describes BeReal as a healthier alternative to traditional platforms. He said many social apps are designed to keep people scrolling for “an amount of time that is definitely not healthy for their mental health or their overall health,” while BeReal aims to reduce pressure, encourage authentic sharing, and help users reconnect with real life. That concern aligns with broader research on social media’s psychological impact. In The Instagram Paradox: Examining Its Role in Shaping Mental Health Among Young Adults, Shaurya Lunia found that 70% of surveyed young adults report feelings of anxiety, depression, and inadequacy linked to Instagram use, underscoring the need for healthier digital environments (Lunia, 2024).
According to Ben, BeReal’s value proposition is becoming clearer as users reconsider what they want from social media. “We do believe that more people should talk about it because BeReal is fighting the good fight,” he said.
That positioning extends beyond product messaging. Ben noted that the company has intentionally resisted features that would make content feel more manufactured. Users can now post videos, add music, include a location, and revisit memories through recap features, but some boundaries remain firm.
“There’s still no upload, no edits, no filters, and more importantly, no AI, because we want people to know that on BeReal, everything they see is actually real,” Ben said.
“There is a fatigue, there is a trust crisis from Gen Z that is pushing back against AI,” Ben said. He added that younger users want to connect in ways that do not feel manipulated by algorithms and are increasingly skeptical of feeds overloaded with what he called “AI slop.”
That shift also intersects with a growing mental health conversation around social media. At a time when concerns about anxiety, self-esteem, and digital overload continue to shape public debate, Ben describes BeReal as a healthier alternative to traditional platforms. He said many social apps are designed to keep people scrolling for “an amount of time that is definitely not healthy for their mental health or their overall health,” while BeReal aims to reduce pressure, encourage authentic sharing, and help users reconnect with real life. That concern aligns with broader research on social media’s psychological impact. In The Instagram Paradox: Examining Its Role in Shaping Mental Health Among Young Adults, Shaurya Lunia found that 70% of surveyed young adults report feelings of anxiety, depression, and inadequacy linked to Instagram use, underscoring the need for healthier digital environments (Lunia, 2024).
According to Ben, BeReal’s value proposition is becoming clearer as users reconsider what they want from social media. “We do believe that more people should talk about it because BeReal is fighting the good fight,” he said.
That positioning extends beyond product messaging. Ben noted that the company has intentionally resisted features that would make content feel more manufactured. Users can now post videos, add music, include a location, and revisit memories through recap features, but some boundaries remain firm.
“There’s still no upload, no edits, no filters, and more importantly, no AI, because we want people to know that on BeReal, everything they see is actually real,” Ben said.
A different approach to monetization
BeReal’s model also challenges one of the biggest assumptions in social media—that monetization depends on maximizing screen time. Ben said the company monetizes through advertising, not by pushing users to linger.
“We couldn’t care less about vanity metrics,” Ben said. Instead, he explained, the company focuses on showing relevant ads in a less cluttered environment, where users are more attentive because their sessions are short and purposeful.
That approach requires brands to adapt creatively to the platform rather than repurpose conventional ads. Ben said BeReal asks advertisers to use the app’s native visual language, including the front-and-back camera format, so branded content feels more authentic and less intrusive.
“We really care about brands showing up in an authentic manner,” he said.
Ben also pointed to third-party measurement as evidence that attention can matter more than pure time spent. He said BeReal has worked with Nielsen and found stronger ad recall and purchase intent on the platform than on larger social networks, generating a 23% relative uplift, and a 35% relative uplift respectively vs. the market average in EMEA. The broader point, he suggested, is that meaningful engagement can outperform passive consumption.
“We couldn’t care less about vanity metrics,” Ben said. Instead, he explained, the company focuses on showing relevant ads in a less cluttered environment, where users are more attentive because their sessions are short and purposeful.
That approach requires brands to adapt creatively to the platform rather than repurpose conventional ads. Ben said BeReal asks advertisers to use the app’s native visual language, including the front-and-back camera format, so branded content feels more authentic and less intrusive.
“We really care about brands showing up in an authentic manner,” he said.
Ben also pointed to third-party measurement as evidence that attention can matter more than pure time spent. He said BeReal has worked with Nielsen and found stronger ad recall and purchase intent on the platform than on larger social networks, generating a 23% relative uplift, and a 35% relative uplift respectively vs. the market average in EMEA. The broader point, he suggested, is that meaningful engagement can outperform passive consumption.
New features, same product philosophy
Although BeReal is known for its once-daily photo prompt, the app has expanded. Ben said the platform has rolled out video, chat, monthly recaps, and improved memory features, turning the product into something of a personal archive for longtime users.
“What is really cool about BeReal, now that we’ve been around for six years, is that most users are using it as some sort of time capsule,” Ben said.
That sense of memory and personal history helps explain why the app continues to matter even after the initial hype cycle. Users are not just posting for the moment. They’re also building a record of everyday life, one that feels less performative than traditional social feeds.
The company is also investing in creators, though with a different expectation than on most platforms. Rather than encouraging highly produced content, BeReal positions itself as a place for behind-the-scenes access and vulnerability.
“Being vulnerable on BeReal is what’s actually the most important,” Ben said. “You don’t care about the perfect-looking picture, you don’t care about the most polished content.” That dynamic, he suggested, gives creators room to share moments they might not post anywhere else. It also gives brands and public figures a more casual format for connecting with audiences. Musicians, sports teams, media personalities, and brands use the platform to share highlights from important moments and events, including Bigflo & Oli, Léna Mahfouf (also known as Léna Situations), Inoxtag, Paris Saint-Germain (which shared moments from its Champions League victory), as well as Dior, the Cannes Film Festival, and many others.
“What is really cool about BeReal, now that we’ve been around for six years, is that most users are using it as some sort of time capsule,” Ben said.
That sense of memory and personal history helps explain why the app continues to matter even after the initial hype cycle. Users are not just posting for the moment. They’re also building a record of everyday life, one that feels less performative than traditional social feeds.
The company is also investing in creators, though with a different expectation than on most platforms. Rather than encouraging highly produced content, BeReal positions itself as a place for behind-the-scenes access and vulnerability.
“Being vulnerable on BeReal is what’s actually the most important,” Ben said. “You don’t care about the perfect-looking picture, you don’t care about the most polished content.” That dynamic, he suggested, gives creators room to share moments they might not post anywhere else. It also gives brands and public figures a more casual format for connecting with audiences. Musicians, sports teams, media personalities, and brands use the platform to share highlights from important moments and events, including Bigflo & Oli, Léna Mahfouf (also known as Léna Situations), Inoxtag, Paris Saint-Germain (which shared moments from its Champions League victory), as well as Dior, the Cannes Film Festival, and many others.
From friendships to dating and daily rituals
One of the more interesting themes in the conversation was how users are applying BeReal beyond simple social sharing. Ben acknowledged that the app has found unexpected traction in dating-related behavior, both informally and through users sharing BeReal posts on dating profiles to signal authenticity.
He also noted that brands have experimented with habit-based storytelling on the platform. In one example, a skincare brand documented daily progress over time, showing how the app’s ritualized posting structure can support campaigns centered on consistency, accountability, and transformation.
Those use cases point to a broader truth about the platform: There may not be a single “typical” BeReal post. Users share from dorm rooms, desks, tennis courts, libraries, and kitchens. What unifies the content is not aesthetic consistency but immediacy.
He also noted that brands have experimented with habit-based storytelling on the platform. In one example, a skincare brand documented daily progress over time, showing how the app’s ritualized posting structure can support campaigns centered on consistency, accountability, and transformation.
Those use cases point to a broader truth about the platform: There may not be a single “typical” BeReal post. Users share from dorm rooms, desks, tennis courts, libraries, and kitchens. What unifies the content is not aesthetic consistency but immediacy.
A safer, healthier social experience
For Ben, one of the strongest signals comes from parents. He said many have told him they feel more comfortable with their children using BeReal than more addictive, appearance-driven platforms. “The one thing that stands out the most is how much human beings are craving a platform like BeReal, 72% of BeReal’s users describe it as a feel-good space that makes them feel less stressed about social media,” Ben said.
That observation may be the clearest summary of BeReal’s current opportunity. In a social media market dominated by scale, automation, and algorithmic manipulation, the platform is betting that a smaller, more intentional experience can feel not just refreshing, but necessary.
As AI-generated content continues to blur the line between real and synthetic online, Ben said BeReal’s mission remains straightforward: Help the next generation use technology to strengthen real-life connection, not replace it.
That observation may be the clearest summary of BeReal’s current opportunity. In a social media market dominated by scale, automation, and algorithmic manipulation, the platform is betting that a smaller, more intentional experience can feel not just refreshing, but necessary.
As AI-generated content continues to blur the line between real and synthetic online, Ben said BeReal’s mission remains straightforward: Help the next generation use technology to strengthen real-life connection, not replace it.
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