The first Gen Alpha teenagers have arrived. What does turning 13 look like for a generation born into AI, pandemics, and a world that generates whatever you ask for?

In this episode of the Collide podcast, generational futurist and USA TODAY bestselling author Ryan Vet uses his Generational Prism framework to examine what age 13 looked like across four generations, from Gen X in the arcades of 1978 to Gen Alpha in the AI-powered world of 2026. Drawing on research from Pew Research Center, CDC data, and NAEP assessment results, Ryan unpacks how each generation's teenage years were shaped by the technology, parenting, and disruptions surrounding them.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What turning 13 looked like for Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and now Gen Alpha
• How Gen Alpha is the first generation where teenagers can create content instantly through AI prompts
• Why more than half of U.S. teens already use AI chatbots for schoolwork and information
• How the parents of Gen Alpha (mostly Millennials) are raising children differently than any prior generation
• What COVID-19 disruption during foundational school years means for Gen Alpha's relationship with stability

Research and resources mentioned:

• Pew Research Center (2010, 2013, 2023, 2025, 2026) — Teens, social media, smartphones, parenting, and AI usage
• CDC (2015) — National Vital Statistics on births and parental age trends
• NAEP (2022) — Long-term trend assessment: largest reading and math declines
• NCES (2020) — U.S. Education in the time of COVID
• Computer History Museum — Timeline of 1993: the World Wide Web goes public

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About Ryan Vet: Ryan Vet is a generational futurist, USA TODAY bestselling author, and international keynote speaker. He helps leaders and parents understand the generational and technological forces reshaping work, family, and culture. His weekly newsletter Collide reaches thousands of leaders navigating multigenerational teams, AI-driven change, and the future of leadership.

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Ryan Vet is a USA TODAY bestselling author, futurist, and international keynote speaker whose insights on generations, culture, and the future of work have been featured in Forbes, Financial Times, ABC, NBC, and CBS. His research helps leaders understand emerging generational patterns and anticipate societal shifts before they fully unfold.

If you want deeper research and behind-the-scenes insights on generations and the future of culture and society, join Ryan’s weekly newsletter:
👉 https://collide.ryanvet.com

What do washing machines, smartphones, and artificial intelligence have in common?

They were all designed to make life easier.
But they may have also changed the human experience in ways we didn’t anticipate.

In this episode, Ryan Vet explores the concept of the Velocity Gap, the growing distance between how fast technology advances and how slowly we understand its impact on our lives.

From household appliances in the mid-20th century to smartphones and the rapid rise of AI, this conversation connects technology, generational behavior, leadership, and culture in ways many overlook.

You’ll discover:

• Why time-saving technology doesn’t actually give us more time (the productivity paradox)
• How Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z were shaped by different levels of friction
• Why modern life feels more connected—but also more isolating
• The hidden trade-offs of removing friction from communication, work, and thinking
• What artificial intelligence means for the future of human experience
• How leaders can intentionally choose which friction to remove—and which to preserve

This episode challenges a core assumption of modern life:

👉 Progress isn’t just about making things easier. It’s about deciding what’s worth keeping.

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Ryan Vet is a USA TODAY bestselling author, futurist, and international keynote speaker whose insights on generations, culture, and the future of work have been featured in Forbes, Financial Times, ABC, NBC, and CBS. His research helps leaders understand emerging generational patterns and anticipate societal shifts before they fully unfold.

If you want deeper research and behind-the-scenes insights on generations and the future of culture and society, join Ryan’s weekly newsletter:
👉 https://collide.ryanvet.com

What happens when technology moves faster than our morality?

In this episode of The Ryan Vet Show, futurist, entrepreneur, and USA TODAY bestselling author Ryan Vet explores a powerful idea he calls The Velocity Gap — the space between technological acceleration and society’s ability to understand its consequences.

Throughout history, innovation has repeatedly outpaced reflection. Cigarettes were once marketed as healthy before medical science revealed their deadly consequences. Cars were designed without safety features before seatbelts became standard. Social media and smartphones reshaped childhood before we understood their psychological impact.

Now artificial intelligence may represent the largest Velocity Gap in modern history.

Ryan explores the paradox facing Gen Z, the generation most concerned about climate change and social responsibility, yet also the fastest adopters of energy-intensive AI technologies.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What the Velocity Gap is and why it matters
• How past innovations like cigarettes, automobiles, and smartphones followed the same pattern
• Why AI is accelerating faster than any technology in history
• The surprising contradiction in Gen Z’s values vs. behavior
• How removing friction from life is changing our relationships, work, and character
• Why leadership in the AI age may require reintroducing friction into systems

Ryan also explores a deeper cultural shift: the loss of friction in modern life. From dating apps to AI writing tools, convenience is reshaping how humans learn, struggle, commit, and grow.

The leadership challenge today isn’t simply adopting new technology.

It’s deciding when to slow down.

Because friction — the resistance we often try to eliminate — may actually be what builds character, meaning, and resilience.

If you lead teams, study generational change, or care about the future of technology and culture, this episode will challenge how you think about progress.

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Ryan Vet is a USA TODAY bestselling author, futurist, and international keynote speaker whose insights on generations, culture, and the future of work have been featured in Forbes, Financial Times, ABC, NBC, and CBS. His research helps leaders understand emerging generational patterns and anticipate societal shifts before they fully unfold.

If you want deeper research and behind-the-scenes insights on generations and the future of culture and society, join Ryan’s weekly newsletter:
👉 https://collide.ryanvet.com