Birth is a miracle. But it is not an uncommon one. Around 36,700 babies are born every day. About 780 of those are born in Australia. Yet sometimes a birth makes history.

When Remi was born last week, journalists rushed to the hospital. She was born at 12.05am on 1 January 2025, to parents Tzu-Ling Huang and Liam Walsh. Remi is believed to be the first Australian birth of 2025.

More significantly, she is one of the first babies to be born as Generation Beta - a new label for those born between 2025 and 2039. Many Gen Beta children will live into the 22nd Century.

The concept of generational cohorts comes from social scienceThe study of human society and relationships. . They are used to analyse the things that people of a certain age group share, from political views to fashion sense.

One of the main things that defines each generation is the technology available to them. Gen Beta replaces Gen Alpha, born between 2010 and 2024. Alpha were the first age group to grow up with social media in full flow.

Gen ZShort for Generation Z, meaning people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s. before them grew up with the internet as a part of their daily lives. MillennialsPeople who reached adulthood in the early 21st Century., who are older still, came of age during the rise of computers and smartphones. Both are regarded as "digital natives". But the ways in which they use technology are different.

Gen Beta is expected to continue this progress. They will grow up in a time when digital devices have become almost a necessity for participating in society. Other material items, such as coins or paper tickets, will be a thing of the past.

Beta babies will also be the first to be born in the age of advanced artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence, or "AI," is the ability for a computer to think and learn. With AI, computers can perform tasks that are typically done by people, including processing language, problem-solving, and learning. (AI). Some might even owe their safe birth to AI technologies that can help identify their progress in the womb.¹

Research group McCrindle says Gen Beta "will live in an era where AI and automation are fully embedded in everyday life - from education and workplaces to healthcare and entertainment". There might be self-driving cars. Virtual reality might play a big role.

This strikes some as terrifying. Gen Beta could grow up reliant on such technologies. They could become, argues conservative writer Evie Solheim, "children who learn to trust algorithms over their instincts and internet personalities over their parents".

Add an ever-growing climate crisis, unstable politics across the globe, the rise of extremismHolding extreme political or religious ideas. and growing disinformationFalse information intended to mislead, including propaganda, which all too often encourages the spread of misinformation, fake news spread by mistake. It is contrasted with misinformation, which may be spread accidentally. to the mix, and the world Gen Beta inherits might look very bleak indeed. If there is still a world left for them to inherit.

Yet others see a rosier outlook. Gen Beta will be born to parents who have themselves negotiated the dark sides of social media, and so will know how to protect them. Various governments, including the EUEuropean Union. An economic and political union of 27 countries. , are looking at restricting smartphone use among the young. TikTok might soon be banned in the US.²

Climate change currently overshadows the world. But by the time Gen Beta grows up, their Millennial and Gen Z parents might have found the means to save the planet - and forge a more peaceful world.

Will Remi have a better life than you?

Yes: The world might seem heading to catastrophe. But Gen Beta will live in an age run by Millennials and Gen Z - groups who tend to prioritise dealing with climate change and making the world more equal.

No: It is difficult to see how. Crises are mounting. Resources are dwindling. Many people are getting poorer. Unless there is a huge, unexpected twist in how the world is run, the trend is downwards.

Or... It is too soon to tell. Besides, generational tags are a useless generalisation. The years they cover are arbitraryBased on random choice or wants, rather than any reasonable system. . And people in the same age groups often have wildly different views and experiences.

Social science - The study of human society and relationships.

Gen Z - Short for Generation Z, meaning people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Millennials - People who reached adulthood in the early 21st Century.

Artificial Intelligence - Artificial intelligence, or "AI," is the ability for a computer to think and learn. With AI, computers can perform tasks that are typically done by people, including processing language, problem-solving, and learning.

Extremism - Holding extreme political or religious ideas.

Disinformation - False information intended to mislead, including propaganda, which all too often encourages the spread of misinformation, fake news spread by mistake. It is contrasted with misinformation, which may be spread accidentally.

EU - European Union. An economic and political union of 27 countries.

Arbitrary - Based on random choice or wants, rather than any reasonable system.