AI is everywhere—from classrooms and workplaces to Google searches, social media posts, and even the way we brainstorm, write, and create. But Gen Z seems caught in a strange contradiction: we use AI constantly, yet many of us are anxious about where it’s taking us.
In this episode of Gen Z Unplugged, Catherine and Rachel unpack why Gen Z is both the first generation to grow up with AI and one of the first to push back against it. From “analog bags” and grandma hobbies to AI-written posts, brain rot, creativity, and the fear of a robot-run future, this conversation asks the question everyone should be asking: Are we using AI as a tool—or letting it think for us?
1:02 — Why Gen Z Has to Answer the AI Question
1:56 — Can We Still Tell What’s Real?
3:42 — Star Wars, Humanoid Robots, and a Future That Feels Too Real
4:47 — Half of Gen Z Uses AI—So Why Do So Many Want the Past Back?
5:28 — The Lost Childhood Gen Z Still Longs For
7:28 — Why Nostalgia, Vintage Trends, and “Analog” Living Are Coming Back
8:31 — The Rise of Analog Bags and Grandma Hobbies
9:48 — Thousands of Students Boo AI at Graduation
12:32 — Is AI Damaging Creativity and Making Us Mentally Lazy?
21:34 — The Biggest Difference Between Google and AI: Thinking vs. Being Thought For
GenZ Unplugged is the official podcast for the Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women. Rotating hosts are Lauren Husmann, Catherine Hendershott, Rachel Hurley, and Hannah Faulkner. Producer is Sandra Scarlatoiu.
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