Fluent

01/16/2026

Mini-golf, big laughs, and an even bigger appreciation for this team. ⛳️🎉

We kicked off the year with a holiday party at Swingers NoMad in NYC—and it did not disappoint. Huge thanks to Nellie and everyone who helped make it such a fun night.

Starting off the year connected and looking forward to an exciting 2026.

01/13/2026

By 2026, the conversation about AI in education must shift from if it belongs in the classroom to how students are actually experiencing it.

Our research shows that for young people, AI is already part of the background infrastructure of their daily lives. It's time to move beyond policy-first thinking and toward an experience-first approach.

Key insights from our latest article:

* AI is blending into existing digital environments, not appearing as a standalone tool.
* Assessment pressure, not a desire to avoid learning, often drives student AI adoption.
* AI literacy is replacing outright bans, teaching students to question and evaluate AI outputs.
We believe responsible AI in education starts with listening. The institutions that succeed won't just have the best tech; they will be the ones that best understand the people using it.

Read the full article for our complete perspective on navigating these changes.

How are you approaching AI literacy in your institution?

AI is already part of education. Here’s what students, families, and educators are experiencing as AI reshapes learning by 2026.

01/06/2026

The return to school often brings fresh routines and fresh pressures.

In our research with families and young people, we consistently hear about the weight kids are carrying, from academic expectations and packed schedules to social dynamics and constant change.

This week, as routines settle back in after the holidays, we’re resurfacing our blog post, "Creativity: A Key to Youth Wellbeing," which explores how creative expression can offer space to reflect, experiment, and reconnect during moments of stress.

Fluent Research UX researcher, Charlotte Beatty, shares insights on how creativity helps families and children manage mental health

01/01/2026

A new year brings new questions and new opportunities to listen more closely.

As we step into 2026, we’re excited to continue to explore how learning, technology, and storytelling intersect in meaningful ways.

Here’s to a year of curiosity, clarity, and thoughtful collaboration.

Happy New Year from Fluent.

12/24/2025

As the year winds down, we’re feeling grateful for the collaborators, partners, and communities who trusted us with their stories and insights.

This year, we listened closely to young people, explored how technology and storytelling shape experience, and continued to ask better questions about learning, wellbeing, and perspective.

Wishing you a restful holiday season and time to pause, reflect, and recharge.

We’ll see you in the new year.

Happy holidays from all of us at Fluent.

12/22/2025

These were our most-read blog posts of the year—and they say a lot about the questions we focused on in 2025.

From girls and STEM to documentary storytelling to how teens use AI to learn, each piece reflects an issue shaping the future.

If you haven’t read them yet, now’s a great time.

• Early STEM Exposure: Helping Girls See Themselves as Scientists: https://buff.ly/pJDBGGJ

• How Teens Are Really Using AI: A Look at the Next-Gen Study Tool: https://buff.ly/OngANLH

• The Power of Perspective in Documentary Storytelling: https://buff.ly/VxVMWwH

12/17/2025

As we look back on the year, one project that continues to stay with us is our teen mental health video series.

First launched in 2022 and revisited in 2025, the series offers a rare longitudinal look at how teens are navigating mental health in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic. By returning to the same group of teens we spoke with a few years earlier, we were able to find out what has changed, what hasn’t, and what support still feels out of reach.

Shared during Mental Health Awareness Month this past May, these conversations bring the teens’ own voices and lived experiences to light. All videos are available to watch in our YouTube playlist.

The kids are alright. Right?In 2022, as schools reopened and lockdowns lifted, we sat down with teens navigating the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thei...

12/12/2025

Young people shared so many powerful insights with us this year—about wellbeing, learning, technology, identity, and what they need from the adults and systems around them.

We pulled a few standout themes into this carousel.

Take a look to see what young people are telling us, and how their perspectives can shape the work ahead.

More year-in-review highlights coming this month!

12/09/2025

Ever tried a social media detox and suddenly realized…

Wow, my brain is actually quiet?

Turns out young adults feel the same — and the science backs it up.

A new study found that taking just one week off social media can noticeably boost mental health for 18–24-year-olds.

Less anxiety. Less stress. More actual breathing room.

Honestly? It tracks.

We’re seeing more young people hit the “pause” button—not because they dislike social media, but because they’re tired of:

• Constant notifications
• Emotional rollercoaster feeds
• Comparison Olympics
• Conversations that never end

“Digital quiet” is becoming their new superpower.

In our latest blog, we dive into why that one little break works so well, and how young adults are reinventing their relationship with tech (without abandoning it entirely).

If you could use a little digital quiet yourself… consider this your sign. 😉

Read the full article:

Learn why taking a social media break, or "digital quiet," is a powerful tool for young adults to reduce anxiety and improve well-being.

11/27/2025

As we reflect on this year, we’re grateful for the young people who share their stories, and for the educators, families, and partners who help us understand what supports youth wellbeing.

Thank you for being part of this work.

Wishing you a warm and meaningful Thanksgiving.

11/25/2025

Youth Today published Dan Warren’s reflection on what Biggie Smalls, the legendary hip-hop storyteller, and Urie Bronfenbrenner, the developmental psychologist, can teach us about understanding young people. We’ve now reimagined it as a visual carousel to make the insights even more accessible.

It breaks down how ecological systems and great storytelling both illuminate the deeper forces shaping youth experience far beyond “Gen Z” or “Gen Alpha.”

Swipe through for the highlights and takeaways.

11/21/2025

We were delighted to welcome Paul Jakob back to Fluent for his second summer—and even more excited when his six-week internship expanded into a three-month remote extension from Sweden.

Paul made an impact across multiple projects, contributing to proposals, data collection, interviews, analysis, and final reports. Throughout his internship, he saw how thoughtful collaboration, attention to detail, and everyday leadership shape the quality of our work.

We’re proud of all Paul accomplished and grateful for the curiosity and dedication he brought to our team. We can’t wait to see where his journey leads next.

This June, for the second summer in a row, I returned to Fluent for a summer internship. Excited by the opportunity to learn from such a talented group of researchers once again, I was eager to continue building on what I learned the previous summer, while also challenging myself in new ways. From m...