How Gen Z and Gen Alpha are building today’s culture

When historians sit down to write about the zeitgeist of the 2010s and 2020s, the most significant cultural touchstone they’ll reference could very well be the doomscroll. We've all done it, like slack-jawed zombies flicking from one cat video to the next, at times for hours.

There’s a logic to thinking these habits will only worsen, particularly for younger generations born into a world crammed with smartphones. But there are signs that we may be at a turning point. Instead of ever more screens, there’s now pushback to cut down — brought on by more restrictions in schools and greater awareness from devotees of “The Anxious Generation,” a bestseller that warns that smartphones and social media are causing an epidemic of mental health issues for youths.

There are also examples of these younger generations consciously reorienting their relationships with social channels, giving up on the need to be on every network and instead focusing on micro-communities. According to a recent study from market research firm GWI, 40% of 12- to 15-year-olds worldwide take breaks from screen time in the interest of digital self-care.

This shift is one of the six major trends identified in a new Mastercard study called “The next growth generation,” based on cultural analyses, qualitative and quantitative surveying across 18 markets worldwide surveying roughly 3,500 Gen Z (ages 17-29) and about 1,800 Gen Alpha parents (ages 11-16).

The big takeaway from all six trends could be summed up in one word: agency. These generations appear to be moving away from being only consumers of digital media to being co-creators of that media, whether that’s social videos or video games or online tools. This change allows them to take greater control and active participation in their relationships with technology.

Gen Z has taken on this agency after learning from experience how to get the most out of internet culture while avoiding the negative biproducts of excessive screen time. Gen Alpha has done so after watching Gen Z and then taking their actions even further.

“Having the tools allows them to have more intention, too. So many of us now have access to data on many of our behaviors,” said Mastercard’s Amanda Fraga, whose team led the survey research, referencing screen time tools, health stats on smartwatches and sleep-activity apps.

She said her team chose to delve into this research to better understand the emerging Gen Alpha wave, how it differs from Gen Z, and how retailers and brands should engage with these youngest generations, which already command lots of economic power. Gen Z’s earning potential is estimated to reach $33 trillion by 2030 and Gen Alpha are expected to have 5.5 trillion global economic influence by 2029.

Below are a few of the big takeaways from the report.

Reality, especially for young people, is no longer split between digital and physical. While those might be two different mediums, young people’s lives seamlessly interweave between the two, without conscious decision. A few years ago, the metaverse and virtual reality were expected to become the next big thing. No more. Instead, realities blend in everyday experiences, using AI chatbots, augmented-reality filters and avatars.

These hybrid realities can be customized and personalized. The outcome of these new digital worlds is the fragmenting of culture, replacing it with hyper niche sub-cultures. Now, most of Gen Z say a single pop culture “mainstream” — with broadly shared experiences like TV shows, movies and songs of the summer — doesn’t exist anymore. In fact, Gen Z and Alpha are in many ways fragmented into micro-generations, Fraga said, as the ages of their parents and the nature of their upbringings vary far more than prior generations.

AI tools have added to this blended reality, with Fraga noting that while Gen Z is both digitally and socially native, Gen Alpha has become the first AI-native generation. The result: These generations are using AI chatbots as their co-pilots for life choices, with 59% of Gen Z saying they’re comfortable using AI tools for career advice, according to Mastercard survey data. Fraga said being AI native will help Gen Alpha more quickly find success when they reach the workforce.

A 26-year-old TikTok creator recently posted an 11-second clip, suggesting a jingle for Dr Pepper. A few weeks later, the soda brand used that same jingle in a national TV commercial during the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship.

This offered up a perfect example of the new world of co-creation and collaboration Gen Z and Gen Alpha expect from companies. It’s not about sitting back and consuming what’s offered to them — it's about remixing, revising and adding to concepts.

Expect even more of this type of interplay with memes and culture as these generations grow up and gain influence. Today, 65% of Gen Z already identify as creators and think about how to build their personal brands. The most successful of these creators are likely to turn their communities into moneymaking opportunities, turning their passions into entrepreneurship.

The Dr Pepper example is an apt one here — this creator received a hefty payout for the national ad and was inundated with requests from other brands so they could get their own jingles, too.

"Before it was more like user-generated content and now it's this really co-authored storytelling where they’re participating,” Fraga said. “I think that's a really cool opportunity for brands. How do you introduce your brand or product so this generation can engage with it creatively, turning engagement into real value?”