Ep 136: Teens Versus Automation

<p><a href="https://talkingtoteens.com/podcast/future-of-humans/">Click for full show notes, exercises, and parenting scripts from this episode</a></p><p><br></p><p>Our kids are heading into a new era–one full of self driving cars, automated grocery shopping and endless social media. They’re growing up surrounded by technology, and these gizmos and gadgets only become more prevalent every year. It’s nice to imagine a future where robots do all the work and we humans sit back with our feet up–but it’s also scary to imagine a world so controlled by computers that our kids might just lose their humanity!</p><p><br>It’s understandable to be worried about your teen coming of age in this environment. They’re entering a job market where employment opportunities are slowly being eradicated by automation. People like travel agents and bankers have been forced to watch as their jobs are taken by iPhone apps and digital kiosks. </p><p>Not only that, but the  constant digital stimulation of iPhones, laptops and tablets is rearranging teens’ brains on a molecular level, inhibiting their social skills,  productivity and sense of reality! It’s frightening how much control technology has over all of us, especially growing teens. So how can we prepare young people for a future full of tech and automation?</p><p><br>Kevin Roose, our guest today, asked himself that same question a few years ago. He decided to dive into research about humanity’s growing dependence on technology, and then put  his findings into a book. It’s called <a href="https://amzn.to/3cPcMyc"><em>Futureproof: 9 Rules for Humans in the Age of Automation</em></a>. In it, he reveals how the key to surviving in the world of  robots is not to become more robotic ourselves but instead, become more human. </p><p><br>In our interview, Kevin and I get into every question you might have about how AI is changing society. We address the concerns you may be having about your kid’s job prospects in this future full of automation and algorithms. He also explains how y