AI Voice Cloning and Gen Z Habits Drive the Decline of the Phone Greeting 'Hello'
The traditional telephone greeting 'hello' is fading due to Gen Z communication habits and AI voice-cloning scams. A survey shows 40% of 18-24 year-olds accept answering without a greeting, while security experts advise silence to prevent AI from cloning voices. This shift reflects broader changes in digital communication norms and security risks.
Key points
- The word 'hello' was standardized by Thomas Edison after Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, replacing time-based greetings like 'good morning' which became redundant across time zones.
- A survey indicates that 40% of 18-24 year-olds consider it acceptable to answer phone calls without any greeting, preferring casual responses like 'Hi' or 'What's up?'.
- Gen Z views phone calls as continuations of existing digital conversations (texting, DMing), making formal greetings feel unnecessary in their multi-format communication style.
- AI scammers can clone voices from telephone greetings, using them to fraudulently request money from victims' loved ones, a threat reported by Which?, the BBC, and The Guardian.
- Security experts recommend remaining silent when called by unidentified numbers to prevent AI from capturing voice data, effectively making rudeness a safety measure.
Background
Previous coverage noted Gen Z's evolving phone etiquette, including the use of playful greetings like 'Bello' and a broader cultural shift toward authenticity in digital interactions. This trend aligns with other Gen Z behaviors, such as using 'polyester' to label inauthentic content and digitalizing money etiquette through apps like Venmo, reflecting a generation that prioritizes efficiency and realness over traditional formalities.
Why it matters
The decline of 'hello' highlights the intersection of generational communication shifts and emerging cybersecurity threats. As AI voice cloning becomes more sophisticated, traditional social norms are being redefined by practical security concerns, forcing a reevaluation of basic etiquette in the digital age.
What to watch
Expect continued erosion of traditional phone greetings as AI scams become more prevalent and Gen Z communication norms dominate. Security advice may increasingly emphasize silence over greetings, potentially leading to a broader cultural shift in how people interact via phone.
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