Analog Adults Vs. AI Kids

It's wild to think that our kids are growing up in a world that has always had AI. Most of us remember the world before the mobile phone!  We reminisce about clunky landlines, dial-up internet screeches, and try to explain what a fax machine was, lol.

Our childhoods were analog adventures—scribbling notes in class, flipping through encyclopedias, or waiting for a song to play on the radio so we could hit record on a cassette. But for our kids? Their reality is voice-activated assistants, algorithm-curated playlists, and AI tutors that adapt to their learning pace in real-time. This generational chasm isn’t just about tech—it’s about how we perceive the world and what we value in it.

For those of us who grew up pre-smartphone, life had a certain tactile charm. We memorized phone numbers, got lost on road trips with paper maps, and felt the rush of sneaking a flashlight under the covers to finish a book. Technology was a tool, not a lifestyle. When mobile phones arrived, they were brick-like novelties—more status symbol than necessity. The internet was a clunky, occasional visitor, not an omnipresent force. We adapted to tech as it trickled into our lives, each innovation feeling like a small revolution.

But that slow drip of progress meant we retained a certain skepticism. We questioned the reliability of early search engines, laughed at Clippy’s unhelpful pop-ups, and debated whether texting would ruin human connection. Our analog roots gave us a lens to see technology as an add-on, not the default. We still crave moments of disconnection—hikes without signal, conversations without notifications, or the simple joy of a physical book’s smell.

Contrast that with today’s kids, who’ve never known a world without AI woven into the fabric of their lives. From smart speakers answering their curious questions to apps predicting their next favorite show, AI is as natural to them as electricity. They don’t marvel at facial recognition unlocking their devices or chatbots helping with homework—it’s just how things work. My nephew, barely eight, once asked why I typed a search query instead of just asking my phone. To him, my keyboard was as quaint as a typewriter.

This isn’t just about gadgets. AI shapes how kids learn, play, and connect. Educational platforms analyze their strengths and weaknesses, tailoring lessons instantly. Social media algorithms feed them content that mirrors their budding interests, for better or worse. Even their toys—think interactive robots or augmented reality games—lean on AI to respond and adapt. For these kids, intelligence isn’t something confined to humans or books; it’s embedded in the world around them.

This divide creates fascinating tensions. As analog adults, we often worry about screen time, data privacy, or the loss of critical thinking in an age of instant answers. We see AI as a double-edged sword—powerful but potentially invasive. Our kids, though, see it as a partner, not a threat. They’re less likely to question the ethics of an algorithm because it’s as familiar as the air they breathe. Where we see dependency, they see empowerment.

Take creativity, for example. I remember sketching comics by hand, limited by my pencil and imagination. Today’s kids use AI tools to generate art, music, or stories in seconds. To us, that might feel like cheating or losing the “soul” of creation. To them, it’s just a starting point—a way to amplify their ideas. They’re not bound by our nostalgia for process; they’re focused on outcomes.

So, how do we navigate this? First, we need to let go of the idea that our analog past was inherently “better.” It was different, not superior. Kids today aren’t missing out—they’re building skills we couldn’t have imagined, like intuitively navigating complex digital ecosystems or collaborating across virtual spaces. But we can offer them something unique: the wisdom of a slower, less connected world. Teach them the joy of unplugging, the value of questioning tech’s role, or the satisfaction of solving a problem without an algorithm’s help.

At the same time, we should learn from them. Their comfort with AI can push us to embrace its potential—whether it’s streamlining work, sparking creativity, or solving problems we’ve long accepted as unsolvable. The goal isn’t to make them more like us or us more like them. It’s to find a balance where we respect their AI-native world while sharing the analog lessons that shaped ours.

The crazy part? This divide is only the beginning. If AI is ubiquitous now, imagine what’s coming when our kids are adults. They’ll raise their own children in a world where AI might not just assist but anticipate, where the line between human and machine intelligence blurs even further. As analog adults, we have a choice: cling to our nostalgia or dive into their world with curiosity. I’m betting on the latter—because if we can survive the era of dial-up modems, we can handle whatever comes next.