Culture and Society
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This year – 2025 – marks the beginning of a new generation. All kids born from now until 2039 will be branded as Generation Beta, a band of humans that will see a mind-boggling integration with technology and huge cultural shifts.
The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.That’s according to Mark McCrindle, the social researcher and futurist who coined the term Generation Alpha (the socially aware, tech-savvy generation of people born 2010-2024).
This style of generational analysis divides people into cohorts based on birth years to understand the cultural, technological, and social influences that shape their attitudes and behaviors. Typically spanning around 15 years, each cohort reflects significant shifts in the world and the shared values of its people.
The incoming generation will be the children of Millennials (born 1980 to 1994) and Gen Z (1995 to 2009). Both of these generations were marked by a world increasingly saturated with technology – a trend that is set to intensify.
While Generation Alpha became shaped by the rise of smart technology and artificial intelligence (AI), Generation Beta will live in a world where AI and automation are totally embedded in everyday life. As such, their perceptions of the digital and physical worlds will be almost inseparable.
“They [Generation Beta] will likely be the first generation to experience autonomous transportation at scale, wearable health technologies, and immersive virtual environments as standard aspects of daily life. Their formative years will be marked by a greater emphasis on personalisation – AI algorithms will tailor their learning, shopping, and social interactions in ways we can only begin to imagine today,” reads a blog post by McCrindle, the Australian consultancy founded by Mark McCrindle.
On the other hand, the lives of Generation Beta will also be influenced by a growing skepticism about some aspects of the internet. They will be one of the first generations to be raised by “digital native” parents who grew up with social media, but have grown starkly aware of its negative impact on our brains and beyond.
“Gen Z parents are more likely to strongly agree that limiting their child’s screen time is a high priority for them (36 percent Gen Z parents compared to 30 percent older Millennial parents). As the most technologically savvy generation of parents, Gen Z see the benefits of technology and screen time, but equally they see the downsides of it and are pushing back on technology and the age at which their children access and engage with it,” the McCrindle post added.
By 2035, Generation Beta will make up 16 percent of the global population, with many expected to live into the 22nd century.
Their world will be markedly different from previous generations, shaped by pressing societal challenges like climate change and shifting global demographics. Their approach to these issues is likely to be shaped by the values of their Millennial and Gen Z parents, who (generally speaking) are known to champion ideals like diversity and equality.
