Generation Beta, or Gen B, refers to the generation that is just being born: the year 2025 all the way through to 2039. As with every new generation, there’s much excitement and speculation about what they will experience and how the world will change in their lifetime.
To get a grasp at what’s in store, Prudential commissioned a study entitled Generation Beta: Redefining Life, Longevity, and Retirementand researchers anticipate this generation will not only be the longest-living but also the most technologically advanced yet. Based on data from previous generations, researchers are offering a glimpse at the future and how Gen B will inevitably change the world.
Researchers predict Generation Beta will be the first to experience these 10 lifestyle changes in the years to come:
1. AI-created education systems designed for each student
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Artificial intelligence in the classroom has always been debated. Some believe it hinders student potential, while others claim it helps them succeed.
In 2023, the Office of Educational Technology ran a study on AI models and how they could be utilized in different ways to help students complete their tasks, even if they had different learning styles. The AI models were found to have helped neurodiverse learners just as equally as neurotypical learners.
Ultimately, AI isn’t going anywhere and will inevitably become more integrated into daily life, including schools. We’re only seeing it in its infancy, and the hope is that it will and can be used as a tool to further our development.
For Generation Beta, utilizing AI will be as second nature as the internet was for Gen Z
2. Cooperative living in place of the nuclear family
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Millennials and Gen Z paved the way for Generation Beta to fully embrace the idea of living single without children. The nuclear family is being replaced with a DINK lifestyle, and single people opting to live with friends and pets rather than alone.
A recent survey by Credit Karma found that when it comes to the dual income no kids life, Gen Z is leading the charge at 32%. It stands to reason that for Gen Alpha and Beta, that number will only grow.
3. People pursuing multiple career paths instead of one profession
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All generations can agree that the 9-to-5 work model is losing its luster. It’s gotten so unpopular that the rise of the 4-day workweek has risen up as a possible replacement in some countries. This is why Generation Beta will most likely abandon this model in exchange for a more flexible one.
And it’s not just flexibility with time that Gen Beta will prioritize. It’s flexibility with career paths. The researchers overwhelmingly predicted that the average Gen Beta employee will have three distinct career paths in their lifetime and will explore jobs that haven’t even been conceived yet.
A study by Dell Technologies and the Institute for the Future (IFTF) confirmed this prediction, noting that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet
4. DNA-based healthcare
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Imagine you are at work and you begin to have a panic attack; your doctor would be able to read your biometric levels without being in the same room as you and would call you immediately to make sure that you are okay. It sounds like science fiction, but it may slowly become a reality during Generation Beta’s time.
In Prudential’s study, 71% of researchers predicted that Generation Beta would have individualized healthcare based on their DNA, likely incorporating AI for further individualization.
Detecting illnesses before they show symptoms is already a real thing. According to a study on Evolving Healthcare Through Personal Genomicsresearchers have been using genomics to determine the amount of dosage to give to patients based on their DNA. This will be a highly sought-after method that people will use if it is done properly.
The issue with having a DNA-based healthcare system is it opens the door for insurance companies to deny coverage based on generational pre-existing conditions. If the current views on health insurance are any indication, that entire system may be changing with the new generation, too.
5. Disruptive effects of climate change
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Generation Beta will be the first to truly deal with the disruptive effects of the climate crisis. What we are experiencing now is only a taste of the potential impact on the planet. This includes inland flooding, wildfires, rising sea levels, and greenhouse emissions. According to the Economic Research Servicethe highest greenhouse gas emissions are industry-related, with the second highest being transportation.
As a result, Gen Beta will be forced to not only begin the Earth’s healing process but also alter the production of food as we know it, including farming and livestock. In the Prudential survey, 53% of researchers said that they expect lab-grown food to replace traditional farming.
The disruptive effects of climate change will also yield a generation more focused on renewable energy sources, which is definitely a positive outcome. An overwhelming majority of researchers from the Prudential study predicted fossil fuel usage could potentially be replaced by greener and more sustainable practices by 2050.
6. Almost total social isolation
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The more Generation Beta gets involved in technology, the less likely they will be to interact in person. Researchers believe the integration of automation in daily life will only compound this.
In a study titled Exploring the Role of AI and VR in Addressing Antisocial Behavior Among StudentsDr. Azza Mohamed found that anti-social behavior could impact a student’s academic performance. AI will eventually take the place of person-to-person communication for social interaction.
The Prudential researchers predict that this social isolation will likely contribute to mental health issues that will be a prevalent concern in their lives.
7. Increased financial instability
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Financial instability has plagued other generations over the years as well. A study entitled The Relationship Between Financial Worries and Psychological Distress Among U.S. Adults found that the more a person felt they had some form of safety net or support lowered their stress levels around finances. These support systems varied from having a spouse who brought home income to simply having insurance coverage.
There are doubts about everything, from social services to help the financially struggling to the existence of social security. Gen Beta will inherit their parents’ finances, and their economic future is decidedly uncertain.
Unless a miracle occurs, Generation Beta will be facing harder financial times than millennials, Generation Z, and Generation Alpha put together.
8. Increased retirement age
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The current retirement age is set at 67 years old, but politicians and companies seem to want to extend this number further. The Prudential study predicted the government will raise the minimum retirement age to 75 years old.
A study from Harvard found that more people are heading back into the workforce later in life due to life expectancy and due to jobs that require less physical work. The benefit is that older people would be active while working. However, the negative aspect would be the amount of stress on the job, which could potentially cause mental health issues.
That would mean that Generation Beta would be the oldest generation in the workforce. This is if technology advances to the point where people can extend their lives by decades and medical treatment becomes more accessible and affordable.
9. A more fluid retirement
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The concept of mini-retirements is already gaining some traction among millennials and Gen Zers, and that mindset will continue to grow with Gen Beta.
In essence, workers take months or even years off to enjoy lifealmost like a sabbatical, instead of waiting until retirement age. The micro-retirement or mini-retirement is said to stave off burnout and mental health issues, but for now, it is only afforded to those who can save enough to indulge in not working.
In light of the prediction that work itself will become more fluid in the future with multiple career path options for each individual, it makes sense that retirement will become a more fluid concept as Gen Beta enters the workforce. Employees will be able to take extended vacations and leaves of absence at any age.
According to the Prudential study, the concept of retirement will shift from leaving the workforce to simply entering a new phase of life with new opportunities.
10. Longer lifespan
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It’s predicted that Generation Beta will go out of their way to protect the things that they will innovate for society. According to Prudential, half of adults believe that cancer will be cured by Generation Beta. And nearly the same number anticipate technological advances in medicine that will eliminate the need for organ donation.
According to UN dataGen Alphas born in 2024 have a global average life expectancy of 73.3 years. That’s 20% longer than the oldest millennial parents. Gen Beta is expected to outlive them. With a focus on prevention in medical care versus treatment, Gen Beta’s biggest hurdle to a longer life will center on medical issues arising from extended lifespans.
Sylvia Ojeda is an author with a decade of experience writing novels and screenplays. She covers self-help, relationships, culture, and human interest topics.
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