The Future According to Gen Z
From Machines Like Us by The Globe and Mail
February 10, 2026 · 52 min · Episode 41
About this episode
The episode explores Gen Z's relationship with artificial intelligence, highlighting their enthusiasm and skepticism through the insights of two influential young voices in tech.
No one has adopted artificial intelligence more enthusiastically than Gen Z. And not just to help with their homework. Half of American teens are in regular contact with an “AI companion” – with many saying they prefer it over real people. But Gen Z is skeptical, too. They worry about job security, about offloading their thinking to machines, about AI’s staggering energy consumption. Most of all, they worry they won’t get a say in shaping our future. Ava Smithing, 24, and Sneha Revanur, 22, are trying to change that. Smithing is the advocacy director at the Young People’s Alliance and the host of “Left to Their Own Devices,” a podcast about how technology is rewriting childhood. Revanur is the founder of Encode AI, a youth-led nonprofit focused on AI policy. Politico once called her the “Greta Thunberg of AI.” Together, they’re two of the most influential young voices in tech. So we brought them on to find out what older generations are getting wrong about AI – and what Gen Z wants from the most powerful technology in history.
People in this episode
Guests: Ava Smithing, Sneha Revanur
Topics covered
- artificial intelligence
- Gen Z
- technology
- job security
- AI policy
Keywords
- AI companions
- youth advocacy
- technology impact
- future of work
Mentioned in this episode
Products: AI companion
Books & works: Left to Their Own Devices
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