AI wisdom from new grads...

Hey there, {{first_name | friend}},

Happy graduation season to everyone going through it… especially those who raised the grads. 😅

I recently spent time with a group of college seniors, and what they shared about AI ahead of their graduation was wise beyond their years.  

They told me that for their first two years of college, AI wasn't on the table. By junior year, they were dipping their toes in. By senior year? Fully in. One student described uploading a professor's study guide into Claude, adding the exam requirements, and asking it to quiz her until she had the material down cold. Another told me professors have mandated the use of generative AI in some classes.

What struck me most was that these students were not afraid of AI - they were adapting to capitalize on the opportunities it brings (and let’s be honest, because they now have a 24/7 tool to help them ace their exams!).

Unlike many adults, these students felt empowered by it. One told me she feels like she has the skills of 3 new grads combined. Another said he's not a coder, but he can now build an MVP. They see their communication and people skills as their competitive “human-edge,” and AI as the tool that amplifies everything else.

The only risk they see? Not learning how to master AI to get ahead.

(Note: this was a small sample of mostly business students. Their peers at University of Central Florida’s College of Arts and Humanities had a different take on AI during their commencement this week. Read about it here.)

If you have a new grad in your life (or if you've been wondering how much to lean on AI for your own resume or job search) this one is for you. Career strategist and triple certified master resume writer Emily Kapit, founder of Refresh Your Step, joined me to talk through exactly where AI helps, where it falls short, and why your story still has to come from you. Her advice is gold . Give it a listen on Apple, Spotify, my website, or wherever you prefer your podcasts.

Yann LeCun, the Turing Award-winning former Meta AI chief known as “the AI godfather,” has a message for doom-scrolling graduates: the real danger isn't AI, it's making life-altering decisions based on exaggerated claims. 

LeCun specifically calls out the toll that doom narratives are already taking on teenagers, some of whom have become depressed after reading that AI will not only eliminate their career prospects, but cause human extinction. He says those fears are "extremely destructive" and wrong. His take sits right in line with what the students I spoke with already figured out on their own. Read it on Axios.

Sarah Gallagher Trombley, founder of Digital Mom Media, wrote a thoughtful, non-judge-y open letter about the iPhone-at-graduation decision. Her ask is simple: please don't give your rising 6th grader an iPhone for graduation.

She makes the case with care and specificity, and offers alternatives. She specifically recommends the Pinwheel and Bark phones as practical, parent-managed alternatives. Read her article here.

Prompt 1: For elementary school parents

Act as a child development expert who specializes in digital literacy. Help me prepare for a simple, age-appropriate conversation with my rising elementary schooler about what AI is and how it might show up in their life. Format your response as a short script with 3 talking points and two questions I can ask to get them thinking.

Mom tip: Share an app or game your child already loves with the AI tool helping you to make this conversation feel familiar, not abstract.

Prompt 2: For middle school parents

Act as a middle school educator who teaches responsible technology use. Help me have an honest, age-appropriate conversation with my middle schooler about how AI is changing school and what that means for them personally. Format your response as 3 conversation starters, each with a brief note on what it's designed to open up.

Mom tip: Consider asking for conversation starters about deepfakes, academic honesty and AI, and AI relationships - the tough topics.

Prompt 3: For high school parents and beyond

Act as a college, trade school, and career advisor who works with recent graduates. Help me talk to my high schooler about how AI is changing the high school, trade school, college, and early career experience, and what it means for their generation to lead with both AI skills and strong human communication. Format your response as a two-part guide: what to say, and what questions to ask so the conversation goes both ways.

Mom tip: Not every kid is headed to a four-year college, and that's a good thing. If your teenager is exploring trade programs, entrepreneurship, or a gap year, customize the prompt with that context. AI is changing every path, not just the traditional ones.

Some of the same students who shared their AI stories with me also helped with my marketing and built my new book launch newsletter from scratch. I'm so proud of what they created. If you want to follow my writing process (reminder: the book is an AI guide for busy parents!) and see their work in action, sign up here:

To help me create more meaningful info for you, I’d love to know which education stage best describes your family today.

Until next time,

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