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From boomers to Gen Z, we've all heard our fair share of observations, praise, and concerns about each generation and their differences. And for Gen Alpha (those who were born between 2010 and 2024), people have already been giving their predictions on what will set this latest generation apart.
So, we recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us their predictions for Gen Alpha, and they weighed in on everything from what they think their careers will be to how technology will impact their lives. Here are the thought-provoking results:
1. "It feels like some bubble will burst, and one of two things will happen: they will either get to be the boomers all over again and reap the benefits that we Gen X'ers, millennials, and Gen Z'ers didn't get, or it's going to be the polar opposite, and they will suffer worse than us. No real in-between."
"I just feel like the last three gens have had so many damn setbacks year after year that we can't catch up at all. Alphas will either be able to, or it's going to be the damn Depression all over again."
2. "Gen Alpha will be the first AI-native generation. The same way I look at cash, mail, and in-person banking/shopping as archaic, they will view a Google search. I'm already wondering how I used to live without ChatGPT — it makes Google seem so stupid."
"GEN Z RULES! So does the Greatest Generation and Gen Alpha. My wife's a millennial, so I guess that makes them okay, too.
~Love, a newly married 25-year-old from St. Louis."
3. "I think more will go to trade schools or not go to college at all because it's too expensive. If they do go to college, it will be with a tuition reimbursement program through an employer, so they may enter the workforce sooner for that reason."
4. "As someone on the older side of Gen Z, I believe their mental health is going to be even more fragile than ours. Kids are going to school and being berated for not having Stanley cups or using such-and-such products. Unfortunately, most of these kids don't have social media accounts, but they're still gaining access to these trends in some way. That helps them find ways to bully other kids and lower a child's self-esteem."
"You shouldn't be 8 years old worrying about wrinkles or if you have the Valentine's Day limited edition Stanley Cup. Enjoy your youth, Gen Alpha."
5. "I think career-wise, I’m hearing young Gen Z/older Gen A have different values for life after high school. I’m hearing lots more talking about careers that involve non-traditional post-high school training, such as certificate programs and apprenticeships. I’ve heard lots of wanting to work in barbershops and the hair/beauty industry."
"I think this is due to seeing millennials/older Gen Z have promises of 'going to college, and you’ll get a great job' not pan out and watching the horror stories of people complaining about student loans and high cost of living. I’ve also heard a lot about not wanting to spend another four years in school after high school. Overall, I think Gen A will try to be very practical and cautious in how they look at their careers and adult lives. They care about sustainability, and I think that will factor into how they navigate the adult world when it’s their turn to enter it."
6. "As someone who was born in 2009, I'm a very young Gen Z. But I think that Gen Alpha will be a generation of kids that have kind of really sad lives. I know that sounds mean, but at least when I was little, I would still watch movies on Blu-ray and touch grass every day. Gen Alpha has been born into iPhone 15s and iPad Pros. It's sad, really, because they'll have less fun than I did as a toddler/young kid."
"But I do notice that a lot of influencers have been trying to raise their kids very crunchy, so maybe that will save some of them."
7. "I think Gen Alpha will have the highest rate of illiteracy we’ve had in generations. I teach Gen Alpha now and a good chunk of them cannot read or spell properly."
—23, Arizona
8. "Gen A has a ton of purchasing power. They are tech-savvy and know what they want. Because they are siblings to Gen Z and children of millennials, they have a different attitude about the world, and have skills to be independent."
—39, USA
9. "I think Gen Alpha will be lazy when it comes to manual labor and service jobs, and they will have shorter attention spans. Sorry to sound like a boomer, but they were raised on technology and will have little social interactions being raised during the pandemic. They are probably going to have a hard time keeping a job."
"I wish them luck, but I don't think the future looks that great for them, jobs-wise, climate change-wise, anything. I'm sure they will survive like we millennials did, but it won't be easy. 🤷♀️"
—37, Ohio
10. "I think they're incompetent with computers/similar technology and unable to type. Schools assume that because they've been raised with tech they know how to type, how to use computers, etc. but in reality these are things they need to be TAUGHT but aren't learning."
—26, USA
11. "Gen Alpha might be worse off than previous generations, financially, socially, etc. ... [If they don't] listen to previous generations, it will be their downfall."
—41, Iowa
12. "I think they will be more secure and have strong opinions, have they might have a really short attention span...because with so many technological devices and always being online."
—25, Netherlands
And finally...
13. "I’m a boomer living in a neighborhood that is turning over and mostly has younger generation adults raising Gen Alpha now. Kids may have smart phones and AI now, but every day, no matter the weather, I see kids out playing. I don’t think we need to worry about them. They’ll figure it out, just like we all did."
Do you agree with any of these? What are your predictions for Gen Alpha? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.