Who is Generation Alpha? Understanding our future trendsetters
As the world evolves, so does each generation. Right now, the spotlight is on Generation Alpha, the demographic cohort succeeding Generation Z. But who exactly are they, and what sets them apart?
Meet Gen Alpha
Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha) consists of children born from 2010 to 2025. They are the offspring of Millennials and the first generation born entirely in the 21st century. Gen Alpha is expected to be the largest in history, with more than 2 billion people worldwide, and may outnumber Baby Boomers by next year.
They are also the most globally and racially diverse generation. Around the world, more than 2.8 million Gen Alpha are born every week, with the highest numbers in India, China, and Indonesia. In the U.S., there are over 51 million Gen Alphas. While just over half of Gen Z in the U.S. identify as non-Hispanic white, Gen Alpha will mark the first generation in which less than half of the population is white.
Our most tech-savvy generation yet
The Hyper-Digital Generation
For Generation Alpha, technology isn’t just prevalent; it’s omnipresent. The lines between offline and online life are blurred for these digital natives who have never known a world without smartphones, social media, or instant access to information.
Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are not cutting-edge innovations for Alphas; they are part of their daily lives.
Gen Alpha has never known a world without iPads. Nearly half of Gen Alphas own tablets. They have been exposed to tablets, mobile phones, and other electronic devices since a very young age.
According to Razorfish, many young Gen Alphas between the ages of three and five already have tablets: 43% have one before age six. As they reach six and seven, they become exposed to more complex technologies, including video game consoles, earbuds, and smart TVs. By eight and nine, laptop and desktop computers are introduced, with their millennial parents giving them their first smartphone around nine.
Welcome to the “screen-age”
According to research firm Gitnux, children aged 8 to 12 spend nearly five hours per day on screens of various devices. Because they have access to many devices, Gen Alphas are used to focusing on multiple screens at once. This means they consume content in a very different way than previous generations.
Noah Mallin, chief strategy officer of media and social agency IMGN Media, provided a great example: “For Gen Alpha, it’s more like studying on Quizlet on your smartphone, while YouTube is on in the background on the family Roku — and you’re using the computer to hang out with friends in Minecraft.” This makes them highly effective multi-taskers and can result in shorter attention spans.
Content consumers and creators
YouTube is Gen Alpha’s favorite platform. In a Breno Bain survey of 7 to 14-year-olds, YouTube was seen as the coolest brand. It is also the favorite platform for consuming content, with 86% of Gen Alphas surveyed consuming content on YouTube. This is thanks to brands targeting this generation on the platform, and Gen Alpha influencers and content creators continually popping up on YouTube and TikTok. Take Ryan Kaji, a Kidfluencer with nearly 37M followers on YouTube, Everleigh Soutas with nearly 4M followers on YouTube, EthanGamer and his 3.2M followers who watch him play Roblox and Minecraft, and Nastya with her whopping 114M followers.
Creative gamers
Like Gen Z, Gen Alphas are also big gamers. But where Gen Z likes gaming to escape or relax, Gen Alpha sees it as a creative outlet, a place to build their worlds, and a place to socialize. Games like Roblox and Minecraft are their gaming worlds of choice. That’s why brands like Walmart, Nike, Barbie, and the NBA have all found their way onto Gen Alpha-heavy platforms.
AI natives
While Gen Z is referred to as “digital natives,” Gen Alpha has earned the honor of being coined “AI natives.” Gen Alpha has grown up alongside AI innovations, from Alexa to Google Assistant, AI-based characters in video games, deepfake YouTube videos, and ChatGPT. They’re the most comfortable generation yet when collaborating and conversing with AI.
What’s important to Gen Alpha?
Education, creativity, and independence
For Gen Alpha, education is becoming more personalized and technology-driven than any previous generation. They value creativity and are likely to pursue learning paths that allow them to explore their imaginative sides. Gen Alpha knows how to quickly navigate the digital landscape to find solutions, explore new ways of individual expression, and acquire knowledge independently.
Environmental concerns
Growing up with climate change as an ever-present concern, Gen Alpha places great importance on sustainability. They are already aware of our planet’s environmental challenges and are poised to be more eco-conscious in their choices, even more so than Gen Z . One-third of Gen Alphas surveyed said they want to make a difference, help others, or help the planet when asked what they want to be when they grow up.
Diversity, inclusion, and authenticity
Living in a hyperconnected world, Gen Alpha is the most globally aware generation yet. Their interconnectedness offers them access to news, resources, and cultures that have the potential to shape their views as global citizens and how they advocate for causes that are most important to them.
Gen Alpha expects to see these values reflected in society because they were introduced to diversity and inclusion from an early age. They are growing up in a world where gender fluidity and racial equality are increasingly recognized, shaping a more accepting worldview. 92% of Gen Alpha respondents understand the power of authenticity. They value standing up for people, understanding people who are different, learning new things, and self-expression.
Brand loyalty
While Gen Z has expressed its anti-consumerism sentiments, distancing itself from overconsumption, Gen Alpha is more like its Millennial counterparts, exhibiting brand loyalty and obsession. Examples of that can be seen in their recent obsession with Stanley Quenchers and Sephora products.
Gen Alpha also has a big influence on their parents’ purchases, with Morning Consult reporting that by age 5, they are influencing household purchase decisions, with 85% of parents saying that their five- to nine-year-olds have explicitly requested products they’ve seen in stores, on TV, or online.
Gen Alpha is already showing its discerning taste and is looking for authenticity in brand marketing and relatable spokespeople. Brands like Claire’s are creating The Collab, a community platform targeted at Gen Alpha and Gen Z to connect with musicians, dancers, skateboarders, fashion influencers, and more. Crayola is following its massive YouTube success with Gen Alpha-specific content that resulted in a 40X increase in organic views by bringing it to other platforms such as TikTok and Pinterest.
Future job market
Gen Alpha will make up 11% of the adult workforce by 2030, and 65% of Gen Alphas will work in jobs that don’t exist today. Unlike Gen Z, Gen Alphas will enter a job market dominated by AI and automation. Adaptive skills and continuous learning will be essential for success in their careers.
This generation is ready to embrace these new skills and technologies, with 59% of Gen Alpha believing that AI, virtual reality, and smart assistants will be integral to their future jobs. They see technology as a way of engaging with the world and will bring a more global view to their jobs.
They have also watched their parents transition during Covid to a more flexible work set-up, making remote and hybrid work not a nice to have for Gen Alpha but an expectation.
This generation has the potential to be innovative and entrepreneurial trailblazers, adept at research, problem-solving, online collaboration, and a strong desire to make a difference.
Generation Alpha is set to leave a bold imprint on our cultural, technological, and environmental landscape. Their ingrained understanding of technology, alongside a strong sense of social responsibility, may well propel us toward a future that prior generations could scarcely have imagined.
