It’s been the summer of Love Island, Materialists, the Tea app, “mankeeping,” and AI companions, where relationship discourse seems to have reached a fever pitch.

Whether romantic or platonic, social connection is dominating the conversation and fueling a cottage industry of apps, third places, and IRL events aimed at easing the loneliness epidemic.

Yet a closer look reveals a more complex picture of loneliness, with mixed results from such interventions

In a new report, we break down this ‘Connection Economy’ and explore where it’s headed—hopefully with solutions that are truly meaningful and rooted in brand values.