Generation Beta: Next era of change, innovation, challenges

As we step into a new year, we welcome a new generation—Generation Beta. Babies born in 2025 will be the first members of this new cohort, which will last until around 2039. Generation Beta follows Generation Alpha, which spanned from 2010 to 2024, and before them, Generation Z, born from 1996 to 2010, and Generation Y, or Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996.

According to social researcher and futurist Mark McCrindle, Generation Beta is expected to make up 16 per cent of the world’s population by 2035, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

However, this new generation will inherit a world already grappling with significant societal challenges. “With climate change, global population shifts, and rapid urbanization at the forefront, sustainability will not just be a preference but an expectation,” McCrindle wrote in a blog post.

McCrindle also predicts that Generation Beta will grow up in a world powered by artificial intelligence. “Generation Beta will live in an era where AI and automation are fully embedded in everyday life—from education and workplaces to healthcare and entertainment,” he explained.

The role of social media in the lives of Generation Beta is also expected to differ from previous generations. McCrindle notes that while millennial parents often used social media to document their children's lives, Generation Z parents will take a more cautious approach. “Generation Z parents are more likely to strongly agree that limiting their child’s screen time is a high priority for them,” he said, recognizing both the benefits and challenges of social media from an early age.

Furthermore, generational researcher Jason Dorsey highlighted that Generation Beta will be born in a post-pandemic world. “It’ll be something that maybe older siblings went through, certainly something they learn about in history, but not something that is necessarily a contemporary event,” Dorsey told NBC News.

As Generation Beta reaches voting age, the world will likely be led by Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, with Generation Z rising to positions of political power. Dorsey predicts that climate change will remain a pressing issue. “We will likely have Generation Z as elected officials when Generation Beta is old enough to vote,” he added. “Climate change will continue to be a really big deal for them.”

Generation Beta will face a rapidly changing world, shaped by both technological advancements and environmental challenges, making it essential to prepare for the future ahead.

By Vafa Guliyeva