Source: a16z
The distinction between "online" and "offline" has collapsed. a16z is declaring it dead—not as metaphor but as consumer reality. Gen Z and younger millennials don't experience the internet as a separate realm they visit; it's the primary infrastructure through which they work, socialize, consume, and build identity. "Digital native" no longer describes them. For brands and platforms, this means the old playbook of "capturing online attention" fails. Competition is now for a unified attention span that doesn't differentiate between TikTok and the mall, Discord and the office, or a Discord within the office.