Raised on AI, short-form video, sustainability, and shrinking demographics, Japan’s Gen Alpha may become one of the country's smallest generations — yet also one of its most influential.
Teaching English to Gen Z in Japan, I found a school where the computer lab had been dismantled and the only surviving machine was an ancient education-only Mac from the late 90s — the kids had Windows laptops they couldn’t use and QWERTY keyboards they’d never learned. Give them my iPhone or iPad, though, and they were completely at ease in English, and they were already running rings round me with early AI translation tools. Gen Alpha growing up in that same system but with the GIGA School infrastructure behind them is a fascinating prospect — though I’d wager their instincts will still outpace whatever the classroom provides.
LOL! My Gen Z kids sometimes refer to me as a Boomer too even though I am part of the Gen X cohort! There goes the "Forgotten Generation". While Gen Alpha may be immersed in AI technology, there will be higher expectations placed on this generation that is smaller in size compared to others, to support Japan's aging population and burgeoning national debt. Hopefully, AI and supporting technologies like robotic automatons will help increase the future productivity of Gen Alpha and others.
“Generation X grew up believing they’d never matter much, and then got proven right by marketing departments.” - Douglas Coupland, the person who coined the term "Gen X"
Love the second image in the article! Everything out of the window is bang on for a run-down area of a Japanese town. If I ever see a school that nicely furnished in Japan though!
Teaching English to Gen Z in Japan, I found a school where the computer lab had been dismantled and the only surviving machine was an ancient education-only Mac from the late 90s — the kids had Windows laptops they couldn’t use and QWERTY keyboards they’d never learned. Give them my iPhone or iPad, though, and they were completely at ease in English, and they were already running rings round me with early AI translation tools. Gen Alpha growing up in that same system but with the GIGA School infrastructure behind them is a fascinating prospect — though I’d wager their instincts will still outpace whatever the classroom provides.
I suspect that you're correct.
LOL! My Gen Z kids sometimes refer to me as a Boomer too even though I am part of the Gen X cohort! There goes the "Forgotten Generation". While Gen Alpha may be immersed in AI technology, there will be higher expectations placed on this generation that is smaller in size compared to others, to support Japan's aging population and burgeoning national debt. Hopefully, AI and supporting technologies like robotic automatons will help increase the future productivity of Gen Alpha and others.
“Generation X grew up believing they’d never matter much, and then got proven right by marketing departments.” - Douglas Coupland, the person who coined the term "Gen X"
Love the second image in the article! Everything out of the window is bang on for a run-down area of a Japanese town. If I ever see a school that nicely furnished in Japan though!
I had the same first impression when Nano Banana spit out that image!
Hope they will finally “digitise” Japan so that the attempt to pay with a smartphone does not create a bewilderment on the faces of shop assistants.
No kidding! Let's hope for the best!