In this episode of The Intersect, I sit down with Lila Shroff, an assistant editor at The Atlantic who covers technology, science, health and culture.Together we explore how AI is rapidly shaping the habits, experiences and worldviews of Gen Z, and how AI companies are diligently working to attract 18-24 year olds and convert them to loyal customers.

A member of Gen Z herself, Lila introduces the idea of the “Gen Z lifestyle subsidy,” which is the trend of AI companies subsidizing the cost of subscriptions for their premium offerings to college-aged students. Beyond this, we cover how education, data privacy, and intimate relationships are being re-imagined and influenced by AI for the better and for worse. And how this era is not just about humans talking to chatbots. Now chatbots are talking to chatbots to help humans navigate their lives from making restaurant reservations to writing job applications. The ultimate question: Is this the path to a more efficient life, or are we losing our agency? 

Topics Covered:

• What the Gen Z “lifestyle subsidy” is and how it’s impacting an entire generation
• How 18-24-year-olds have become AI “power users” and what AI companies are doing to drive adoption and earn their loyalty
• What growing up with chatbots means for young children born into an AI world 
• The generational shift in attitude toward sharing private information with chat bots

About Lila Shroff: 

Lila Shroff is an assistant editor on The Atlantic’s Science, Technology, & Health team. Before The Atlantic, Lila served on the editorial board at Reboot and co-led a working group at the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute researching AI and the arts. She is particularly interested in the social and cultural impacts of AI. She graduated from Stanford where she studied AI and literature. 

Follow Lila Shroff on X and LinkedIn at @lilashroff.

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Transcript available at https://www.theintersectshow.com/what-is-the-real-cost-of-free-chatgpt/

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