Sujay Saha, president of Cortico-X, a consulting firm that "helps clients realize meaningful business values through a human-centric approach to business problems," says the stare became ubiquitous because "Gen Z entered the workforce in an era defined by screens, social distancing and remote communication."

A new generational quirk is taking social media by storm as videos recreating the infamous "Gen Z stare" go viral. It is characterized by a blank, expressionless look in response to questions and has sparked both humor and heated debate across generations.

TikTokers coined the "Gen Z stare" to refer to the vacant look some young people give in social situations and workplace settings.