In this episode of AI-Curious, we explore what it means to grow up in a world where AI is simply… normal. We’re joined by Matt Britton, branding strategist and author of Generation AI: Why Generation Alpha and the Age of AI Will Change Everything, for a wide-ranging discussion about how artificial intelligence is transforming childhood, education, branding, healthcare, and the very fabric of society.

We look at how Gen Alpha will interact with AI “sidekicks,” how the role of brands might erode in a world of personalized AI agents, and what this all means for marketers, parents, and future professionals. Matt also lays out why the traditional four-year college degree may collapse, how one-person billion-dollar companies are now within reach, and what core skills the next generation—and the rest of us—will need to thrive.

We close with practical advice on how to future-proof ourselves in the age of intelligent agents, synthetic creativity, and AI-native consumers.

Topics include:

• (0:00) Gen Alpha and the future of AI-native childhood
• (3:03) How AI will transform marketing and branding
• (7:04) LLMs, AI agents, and the death of traditional demographics
• (14:01) Rethinking education and the collapse of the knowledge economy
• (17:10) One-person billion-dollar companies and the new AI tech stack
• (21:40) Personalized healthcare, diagnostics, and AI as your doctor
• (25:21) One simple way to future-proof your life in an AI-powered world

Let us know what you think, and if this episode gets your gears turning, share it with someone who’s curious about the future.

Matt Britton:

https://mattbritton.com/

The new book Generation AI:

https://www.amazon.com/Generation-AI-Alpha-Change-Everything/dp/139430885X

🎧 Subscribe to AI-Curious:

• Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ai-curious-with-jeff-wilser/id1703130308

• Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/70a9Xbhu5XQ47YOgVTE44Q?si=c31e2c02d8b64f1b

• YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@jeffwilser

In this episode of AI-Curious, we speak with Ben Tasker, "Dean of AI" at Southern New Hampshire University. We explore how AI is reshaping higher education, what students actually need to learn in the age of large language models, and why skills-based learning may soon rival or even replace the traditional degree.

Ben walks us through the structure of his “applied AI” curriculum, how his team uses AI to build courses in just 14 days, and why prompt engineering is becoming an essential literacy. We also break down the CREATE framework for prompting, designed to help users—students and professionals alike—level up their use of tools like ChatGPT.

Other topics include:

• The tension between AI adoption and academic cheating
• Human skills vs. AI skills, and the World Economic Forum’s two-skill model
• The future of education: personalization, affordability, and AI-enabled scale
• How executives should rethink AI integration—with intention, not just experimentation
• Why OpenAI Academy’s recent pivot could signal a broader shift in how we teach AI

Whether you’re a student, educator, or business leader trying to find your footing in the in-between era of AI, this conversation offers a grounded, pragmatic perspective.

Ben Tasker:

https://www.bentaskerai.com/bens-ai-portfolio-thought-leadership

🎧 Subscribe to AI-Curious:

• Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ai-curious-with-jeff-wilser/id1703130308

• Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/70a9Xbhu5XQ47YOgVTE44Q?si=c31e2c02d8b64f1b

• YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@jeffwilser

In this episode of AI-Curious, we dive into the strange, sticky, and sometimes surprisingly emotional world of AI romantic partners.

We’re joined by author and historian Jennifer Wright, who recently wrote a sharp op-ed for The Washington Post titled “Please Break Up With Your AI Lover.” While millions are already turning to AI bots for companionship, Jennifer makes a compelling case for why this trend—though rooted in real loneliness—could be deeply damaging to our ability to connect, to grow, to give love.

We unpack:

• The surface problems of AI boyfriends/girlfriends, from poor memory to the illusion of affection
• Why constant flattery from bots may feel good—but ultimately erodes something essential in real relationships
• The importance of sacrifice, caregiving, and challenge in human connection
• Whether AI companions, even with future upgrades, can ever replicate the messy magic of real love
• What AI fiction gets wrong—and why most AI-generated stories are (still) terrible
• Her take on AI and historical accuracy, and the troubling implications of getting facts wrong at scale
• Why creativity matters even when the output is bad—and what we lose when we outsource it

Plus, Jennifer gives us a preview of her next book about America’s Gilded Age, and we swap war stories about terrible first novels, romantic relationships, and the puppy-induced joys of caretaking.

Let’s get curious.

Links from this episode:

• Jennifer Wright’s Washington Post op-ed: Please Break Up With Your AI Lover
• Jennifer’s latest book: Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist
• Jennifer’s upcoming book: Glitz, Glam, and a Damn Good Time: How Mamie Fish, Queen of the Gilded Age, Partied Her Way to Power.

🎧 Subscribe to AI-Curious:

• Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ai-curious-with-jeff-wilser/id1703130308

• Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/70a9Xbhu5XQ47YOgVTE44Q?si=c31e2c02d8b64f1b

• YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@jeffwilser