From Gen Z to Alpha: We Assessed the Cultural Effects of Each Generation

The social, technological, and economic factors of the time they lived form a definition of generations as different years that shape their identity and behaviour and their contribution to the world. However, going from the Silent Generation to Boomers, then Millennials, to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, each new generation has its values, skills, and viewpoints. But it's Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the true digital natives, that have a unique relationship with technology and its overarching influence on global culture and society.

These two generations represent not only the adoption of technology at an unprecedented rate but also a rethinking of humanity's interaction with, learning of, and growth in technology. In this article, we aim to explore how Gen Z and Gen Alpha influence and are influenced by culture, technology, and key global events and what this means for today and tomorrow.

Defining the Generations

Generation Z (Gen Z):

Blending the terms 'Generation Z,' defined as those born between 1995 and 2012, and 'digital native,' closes in on the first truly digital native generation. They have grown up in a world built by smartphones, high-speed internet, and the early halcyon days of social media, making them already existentially connected to the technology around them. MySpace, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat—Gen Z has seen all that digital communication has done, and they will keep doing it better. Political and economic instability, the climate crisis, and awareness of systemic inequalities impacted their formative years.

This generation is known for its resilience, creativity, and immense desire to make social change. Vocal advocates of justice, transparency, and sustainability regularly campaign and connect on social media to that end.

Generation Alpha (Gen Alpha):

The next frontier is Generation Alpha, born in 2010. They are often referred to as 'the children of Millennials,' growing up in a world in which technology is not an adjunct—technology is baked into their lives, inseparable. Since birth, they have lived with AI-driven tools, smart devices, AR, and voice assistants. Previous generations grew up with toys and books; Gen Alpha is growing up with screens and touch interfaces. They are the first generation to have grown up in the digital age.

While Gen Z learned how to use new tech, Gen Alpha was born with it. The future of AI, immersive virtual learning, and highly personalized experiences will leave them with an educational system that is inextricably tied to this. They will most likely pursue careers in advanced fields like quantum computing, biotechnology, and ethical AI.

At Confinity, we must develop technology and communication strategies that work with both groups and connect us all.

Technology as a Cultural Force: Defining

Gen Z: Technology as a Tool for Empowerment

For Gen Z, technology is a force of change as it emerged while they were growing up. From the bulky desktops and dial-up internet of yesteryear, they have seen technology morph into ultra-fast mobile devices and AI-driven platforms. More than any other generation, Gen Z used social media to do what they do: connect, express themselves, and mobilize for change.

Many fail to recognize that TikTok and Instagram are not all fancy bits of entertainment; they are potent advocacy tools. While some may take issue with the environmental activists in you organizing climate strikes through hashtags or with the Black Lives Matter movement growing through social media, Gen Z has used technology to broadcast their voices. For them, digital platforms are a form of self-expression, identity formation, and community building, but they are alert to its downsides—mental health impacts, misinformation, and surveillance.

Gen Alpha: Society in a Fully Integrated Digital World

On the other hand, Gen Alpha finds life with technology to be a habit. Gen Alpha didn't live through the analog-to-digital transition as Gen Z did; they have no recollection of a world without voice assistants, smart homes, or virtual reality. With voice commands, gesture-based control, and immersive AR/VR in the first place, they interact with technology intuitively.

Gen Alpha is seeing the line between physical and digital realities blur. Things like the metaverse—a virtual world in which people live, work, and socialize—are not long-distant dreams; they are possible. They think in a digital-first way, meaning they enter education, entertainment, and communication with an expectation of interactivity, personalization, and innovation.

As we change to a Confinity, we understand that digital evolution means creating technologies that will empower (Gen Z) and innovate (Gen Alpha).

Culture and Society: Values Change, and So Do Global Events

However, both generations share the same overarching values, such as inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability. However, they interpret these in their own context, shaped by the events that define their own times.

Gen Z: Advocates of the Socially Conscious

Gen Z grew up amidst global challenges: the rise of populism, the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change. These have created a generation that likes authenticity, openness, and social responsibility.

Thanks to social media, Gen Z has become a global citizen, creating consciousness around racial injustice, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental conservation. They expect brands, institutions, and governments to be accountable. For instance, Gen Z's desire to buy sustainable products forced companies to change their ways to be more environmentally friendly. If brands don't reflect this demographic, they risk alienating them.

Gen Alpha: The Builders of a New Norm

Gen Z passes the advocacy mindset to Gen Alpha, yet the latter is poised to make inclusivity and sustainability normal, not the exception. They learned flexibility, digital competence, and resilience during the pandemic, which disrupted their early education and socialization.

Meanwhile, digital tools are being used by Gen Z to shake things up, but Gen Alpha will have a worldview where diversity, collaboration, and technology-driven solutions are just the way things are done. Remote work, virtual learning, and global collaboration will be a part of our default mode of operation.

At Confinity, we want to make tools that support these generational values–tools that propagate flexibility, diversity, and sustainability to respond to the needs of a changing global society.