Gen AI and Gen Alpha: The impacts of growing up in an innovation cycle

The current combination of Gen AI and Generation Alpha may bring the most impactful outcomes yet. 

In her book Generations, author Jean Twenge wrote that many people believe major events like wars, economic hardship, or even pandemics are the cultural changes most responsible for generational differences. While those likely shape a generation, she notes that the most impactful influence may come from something else: technology.

Thirty years ago, millennials were growing up alongside the evolution of the internet. The power of connectivity, even for the simplest capabilities like searching for basic information, was profound. Today, it’s a cornerstone of commerce, society, and more.

Fifteen years ago, members of Gen Z were growing up alongside the evolution of smartphones and social media. The real-time interaction on the go, even for the simplest capabilities like taking and posting a picture all from your phone, was profound. Today, smartphones are all-encompassing devices and social media connection is seamless. 

If you haven’t noticed, there’s a pattern to these innovation cycles, and a pattern of generational cohorts growing up within them. Millennials grasped the reality that the internet would be a catalyst that shaped their lives, pursuing careers in computer science and information technology. Gen Z monetized mobile devices and social platforms with an exploding industry of creators now producing content for engaged audiences. And the speed of technological innovation is shortening the years between generations.

Right now, members of Generation Alpha are growing up alongside the evolution of generative AI. Its near-instant outputs generated in text and visual formats, even through the simplest prompts like “write a toast I can make at an upcoming wedding” are profound. Today, we’re already seeing how quickly upgrades change the AI tool landscape.

We now know millennials and Gen Z are tech-savvy cohorts who present at work meetings to colleagues globally, plan vacations from their phones, and buy beauty products on social media. What remains unanswered is how growing up in the gen AI innovation cycle will impact Gen Alpha.

Here are four areas organizations should pay close attention to as the oldest Alphas approach adulthood in the coming years.