#gen-alpha

#gen-alpha

My Gen Alpha daughter was born in 2016, but sometimes it feels like she's growing up in a different universe entirely. Her world is one where Roblox trends spill straight into our living room and where her understanding of "aesthetic" comes less from glossy magazines and more from avatar outfits. She'll discover a new style- preppy, coquette, baddie-while running around Obbys or shopping virtual boutiques, and somehow by the end of the week those trends have migrated into her real-life wardrobe debates.

These consumers are navigating retail entirely on their own terms: discovering brands through TikTok and YouTube, engaging with live streams on platforms like Twitch (which just launched its Amazon-powered live-shopping feature), hunting for deals and secondhand finds online, and often making purchase decisions of their own, or influencing those of their family members. Gen Alpha and Gen Z will account for 40% of fashion spending in the next decade, according to a new BCG study.

"What we're seeing with the Gen Alpha consumer is, yes, they'regetting their information online, but they really, really like that experience in store. They like trial. They like hands-on," Steelman said.

It might feel wild, but Gen Alpha influencers are already on the rise. In some cases, these influencers haven't even hit double digits. Kids as young as 7 - the age twins Koti and Haven Garza were in a viral "we're Gen Alpha influencers" TikTok last year - are already in the business of influencing. And business, it seems, is booming.

If you're roaming the hallways or lunchrooms of American schools, you might think that kids are suddenly really into math. You'll hear everyone from elementary age kids to high schoolers yell "six seven!" or "41!!!" to their friends with glee. I'm here to report to my fellow adults that brainrot has gotten so rotted that Gen Alpha - kids under 14, or so - are just saying numbers as memes.

By the time Gen Alpha enters the job market, traditional methods of applying will likely be replaced with personality tests as a more effective hiring tool.

"The findings highlight an urgent need for improved AI safety systems to better protect young users, especially given Gen Alpha's tendency to avoid seeking help due to perceived adult incomprehension of their digital world."

"I created the 'museum of the millennial' lesson for my sixth grade students to show them that history isn't just found in dusty textbooks-it's alive, personal, and being made every day."

Brands need to meet Gen Alpha where they are: in gaming, as this generation engages with digital spaces for socializing and self-expression.