JIGSAW GENS
Generation AB — Their Future Legacy
Members of Gen AB (“Intrepids” or “Robo-Gens”) will be born within the next two decades…destined to (literally!) shine within our corner of the universe
What exactly is it that causes the generational wars to be so intense? For the past two years, I’ve dissected this phenomenon from every angle as part of my “Jigsaw Gens” series. It’s my anthological study of why the young, the middle-aged, and the old are constantly at each other’s throats. Particularly, within American society.
Many theories abound as to why our generational identities divide us. Are online trolls creating this “noise” in order to feel relevant or gain attention for themselves? Do the ruling elite want to keep us divided by our birthyears so we’ll refrain from uniting against them? Are we reliving our fantasies related to the middle school, high school, & college “cliques” that we’d formed (or secretly wished to join)?
If Americans continue to bask in ageism (against those who are either older or younger than us), who stands to gain from that? Which dynamics will become further entrenched within our society?
Corporate greed?
Narcissistic individual “brands” from social influencers?
Sociopaths who become entrepreneurs?
Media gatekeepers desperately trying to generate clickbait?
Today, I’m going to discuss an upcoming generation that largely hasn’t been born yet. Based on their undefined status, it’s extremely challenging to describe how their future lives might look.
But before I characterize this “28th Generation,” allow me to reflect upon how I’ve already proceeded to define the previous 27 generations from the past 450+ years…
Beginning with Hemingrebels (“the Lost Generation”), the first phase of “Jigsaw Gens” had me profiling these eight main generations from the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries:
Hemingrebels | G.I.-Gens | Traditionalists
Millennials | Zoomers | Alphas
Then, I began “traveling back in time” to profile 19 older generational cohorts whom I’d mapped out from across the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Centuries:
Missionaries | Stowegressives | Golden Renegades | Redeemers
Transcendentals | Unimpressionists | Madisonians | Goodpublicans
Liberty Lords | Septennials | Enlightening Rods
Lumineers | Glory Warriors | Magnas | Cavaliers
Kingdomites | Inflectors | Concentrics | Parliamentarians
My second phase of “Jigsaw Gens” honed in on “microgenerations” — the “cusps” who bridge together the youngest members from one generation with the eldest members of the next generation.
Now, I’ve circled back around to spotlight another primary generation that is largely theoretical…
Next up: Generation AB (aka “Intrepids” or “Robo-Gens”).
Who They Are
Intrepids will have a range of birthyears originating either in the late-2020s or the early-2030s. In theory, today’s newborns might be transitioning into this cohort even as we speak. However, it will most likely be at least another decade before we identify more specific birthyears around which the Intrepid generation begins and ends.
Alternately, Intrepids can be referred to as “Gen AB” — which is the next column of a spreadsheet used as a symbol for the long chronology of newer cohorts who’ll succeed Gen Z (Zoomers). “Gen Alpha,” which was a moniker coined by Australian demographer Mark McCrindle, may alternately be called “Gen AA” (yep, just like a Double-A battery!).
For now, I refer to Gen AB as “Intrepids” because of the likelihood that they’ll be navigating a “brave new world” throughout the middle of the Twenty-First Century and into the first portion of the Twenty-Second Century. This will require courage and resilience from these kids.
Previously, I wrote a separate article deconstructing and arguing against the urge for some people to prematurely brand Gen AB as “Gen Beta” –
So, without rehashing the points I’ve made in that article, I’ll just reiterate how someone (at some point down the road) could dream up a much better generational nickname for Gen AB than “Intrepids.” Presumably, a moniker that reflects their habits and beliefs — along with the cultural/historical context in which they’re being raised — once we see what this generation is like as children and teenagers.
But we’re not there yet. In the meantime, I feel that “Intrepids” is a nickname that gives both dignity and context to what little we know about the upcoming lives of Gen AB.
What They’ll Be Going Through
Pretty much everything we know about this future generation is speculative, at this point. If you’re interested in reading some of my broad predictions, I’ve covered future scenarios (which these various cohorts may confront) in my full piece on the Brightanic microgeneration:
As I’ve stated in that article, “Brightanics” — the microgenerational cusp uniting Gen AA (Alphas) and Gen AB (Intrepids) — will be faced with multiple generations of their elders who are bogged down in despair by how our society is irreparably “sinking like the Titanic.” My coinage of the “Brightanic” nickname for their cusp is a way to push back against such defeatism — how these kids can help us to solve the very dire problems our world must confront by embracing tenets of forward-thinking science and ingenuity.
Proper members of Gen AB (the Intrepid generation) will build upon the Brightanics’ leadership. As per Merriam-Webster’s definition, Gen AB’s leaders and innovators would be:
…characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance
But, based on technological speculation, here are some other potential nicknames that could end up applying to Gen AB…
“Robo-Gens” — a reference to how prevalent robotics will be in the lives and careers of Gen AB kids, especially as they mature into adulthood
“Enhancers” — alluding to how new inventions and paradigms from this generation would be aimed at magnifying the quality and value of our lives
“Uni-Thrusts” — giving this generation credit for the massive leaps forward that they very well may achieve in electric propulsion when exploring outer space
“Plasma Pals” — reflecting the reality that plasma physics will play a huge role in perfecting nuclear fusion as well as medicine, agriculture, and 3D printing
“Thermalists” — similarly, a nod to thermal energy’s role in reducing our carbon footprint when it comes to storage and conversion methods
“WIZkids” — a reference to this generation’s conceivable expertise with improving databases, supply chains, infrastructure, coding, SEO optimization, etc.
“Generation Added-Benefit” — this would literally be taking Gen AB’s neutral letter-designation (AB) and how their cohort’s problem-solvers will be tuned in to value, enhancements, or extra features when improving products
“Uni-Bloods” — alluding to how Gen AB might broach breakthroughs in hematology (blood science), including artificial substitutes and personalized components
“Digital Titans” or “Digital Gods” — their technological superiority is all but certain, following the chronology of nicknames for past generations such as Digital Natives (Millennials), Digital Accelerators (Zoomers), and Digital Masters (Alphas)
As an individual, I’m not married to any specific nickname. It’s something we’re all going to learn about and discover, together — as Gen AB carves out their own identity for themselves.
But we need to make sure they have that opportunity. And they won’t retain self-agency if we stamp them as “Gen Beta” for the rest of eternity.
How They’ll Be Misunderstood
As I discuss in my piece about the Brightanics — that cusp which will directly precede the Intrepids — we can only begin to imagine what innovations will separate those kids from their elders (the rest of us!) as Gen AB and their successors inch closer to adolescence.
In her writings, psychologist Jean Twenge opines how technology is the major variable that marks a genesis for each new generation; when technology makes a monumental shift, the next generation is emerging into adulthood within our society. But, as this relates to the 2040s and 2050s — technology may accelerate at such a rapid pace that no single watershed development will end up defining the Intrepids. They (along with the Alphas) could see multiple shifts and pivots in a faster succession than any of the previous generations have.
Robotics, “smart clothing,” deep-sea mining, holograms, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), digitized memory retrieval, xenotransplantation, carbon sequestration, ectogenesis, artificial mechanical organs, fusion power, and artificial intelligence are all plausible examples of innovations that could explode in popularity (and usage!) as Intrepids begin rearing their own children.
Speaking of which: we have no idea whether birth rates will increase or decrease across the next several decades. Based on whatever trajectories occur, the spans of calendar years for both Intrepids’ and Alphas’ birthyears might need to be adjusted when compared to any assumptions we’re making right now.
Why They’ll Matter
By the year 2080, a majority of Intrepids will have passed the halfway points of their lives. It’s almost certain that members of Gen AB who go into aerospace industries will be extremely hands-on in terms of advancing space exploration. They’ll be researching the feasibility of sustaining human populations on the moon, Mars, or other parts of our solar system.
Eradicating cancer and pushing the limits of cryogenics would also be on the menu, for them. Precision agriculture, lab-grown food, indoor farming, micro-computers, missile/asteroid deflection, and terraforming Earth’s tundras are additional endeavors through which Intrepids’ minds could greatly elevate human capabilities.
As of the date of this writing (July 2025), most (or even any) of the Intrepids have yet to be born. Most of what we know about them is purely conceptual, at this point.
Still, they deserve our positive guidance and support once they emerge into this world and come-of-age.
After all, they’ll be the ones powering our cities and managing our fiscal matters when a bulk of the rest of us are heading straight into our golden years.
Here are the main generations (and microgenerations) born into the Twenty-First Century, so far:
Zoomers (aka “Gen Z”)
Coronazooms (the cusp between Gen Z and Gen AA)
Alphas (aka “Gen AA”)
Brightanics (the cusp between Gen AA and Gen AB)
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