Members of Generation Alpha are the very definition of digital natives. They started to be born the same year the iPad was launched, Instagram was created, and 'App' was the word of the year.(5)
One analyst says that Alphas are so digitally connected that technology 'is not something separate from themselves, but rather, an extension of their own consciousness and identity'.(6)
Gen Alphas are fluent in digital learning, gaming, and the gamification of the learning process. They've grown up being pacified by devices and are expected to entertain themselves. They have grown up in a world where children's entertainment has become dominated by smart technology, social networks, and streaming services, with traditional television having been relegated to the side lines.
Digital media consumption habits such as watching videos on TikTok and YouTube are part of their everyday lives. In fact, in 2021, the younger demographic averaged 91 minutes per day on TikTok and an average of 56 minutes per day on YouTube.(7) Research shows that children as young as two or three years old are able to activate the next video from a YouTube playlist thanks to the easy-to-use graphical user interfaces (GUIs).(8)
Digital technology is not the only thing Gen Alpha is known for. This generation is culturally diverse, entrepreneurial, and highly educated. In fact, it stands to be the most educated generation to date. UNESCO says that each additional year of education increases a person's earnings by roughly 10%, which means they are also likely to have more to spend than their Millennial parents and Baby Boomers.(9)
The COVID-19 pandemic has also been a significant event in the lives of Gen Alpha, as it began when the oldest Gen Alphas were just nine years old. For many months, schools were either closed or saw limited interaction, had their extra-curricular activities stopped, and children were limited to physically seeing those within their social bubble.