Generation Beta has arrived, and will soon be a part of your ECEC service 

1 January 2025 marked the arrival of the first of a new generation – Generation Beta (denoting babies born from 1 January 2025 onwards), some of whom will be starting in early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in the coming months. 

Demographers and social analysts predict that these children will grow up in a world shaped by rapid technological advancements and global challenges, potentially influencing their values and behaviours in unique ways.

By 2035 Generation Beta will make up a significant portion of the global population, impacting a variety of sectors and spaces. Along with Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024), Generation Beta will be part of a previously untested world, which is fully digitised from birth, captured and recorded in ways as yet unseen in history. 

Dominated by AI

Generation Beta will grow up in a world populated by sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which will likely lead to hyper-personalised experiences in many areas, from education and entertainment to healthcare and shopping. One example is the presence in a child’s life of an AI program of learning and development, governing their learning experiences and exposures, right from birth, catered to their individual preferences and styles. 

This presence is already a part of the lives of some members of Generations Alpha and Beta, with tools designed to develop programs of learning for children in ECEC settings, as well as capturing and recording their learning experiences as they happen. 

A focus on sustainable development

Growing up with an awareness of the ongoing impact of climate change, it is likely that Generation Beta will be highly attuned to the need to be sustainable and environmentally conscious. 

Both Alpha and Beta have been educated from the time of early childhood to be aware of their impact on the environment, with this consideration a part of approved learning frameworks in both early childhood and schools.

Having grown up with this awareness it is likely that they will push for more sustainable practices in business and in everyday life, and that they will be more aware of (and access) innovations such as renewable energy, circular economies and more environmentally friendly product choices. 

A more lax approach to identity 

Growing up in a world which is increasingly globalised, members of Generation Beta are likely to have a less rigid view of the term ‘community’ than in generations past. 

Community is likely to include those with whom they interact online, and Generation Beta is far more likely to be interacting with people from across the world from a much younger age. 

As access to technology and means of communication becomes more affordable, it is also likely that these communities will consist of those from a wide variety of economic and social circumstances, in a way which may not have been possible previously. 

Flexibly approaches to work and learning

As demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is becoming increasingly more possible for people to take a decentralised approach to both learning and work. 

For Generation Beta virtual reality simulations, collaborative projects and personalised learning experiences are likely to shape the way in which the world of work is experienced, and as AI continues to evolve, the types of jobs, and the skillsets required to do them.

This flexibility is likely to continue to blur lines when it comes to entertainment, communication and human interaction. 

Core challenges 

Along with the changes, Generation Beta is likely to experience some challenges when it comes to the ‘new world order’, including negative impacts to mental health as a result of diminishing social skills and opportunities for connection, concerns about privacy and data security, and the displacement of jobs as automation and AI continues to develop. 

Adaptability and the capacity to be lifelong learners will likely be cornerstones on which the success of those born in Generation Beta rest. 

Understanding the concept of privacy and ethics, and being able to apply these to the ever evolving world of digitisation and AI will also be critical. Members of Generation Beta will need to be aware of how their data is being collected and used, and how to protect themselves in online environments, with many members of this generation having had digital data collected, used and stored from the moment they are born. 

To learn more about Generation Beta, see here. Information in this piece was collected from a variety of sources, including but not limited to this piece, from 9meters, this piece, from McCrindle, and this piece, from USA Today.