Transcript excerpt of an NBC News interview (June 2025) with entrepreneur and consumer trend expert Matt Britton discussing AI’s impact on jobs, how younger generations should prepare, and opportunities AI may create. Britton emphasizes that AI will automate routine, deterministic tasks, stresses the value of creativity and critical thinking, and advocates hands-on familiarity with AI tools (e.g., personal ‘healthbot’). He expresses cautious optimism and urges integrating AI into education and daily life rather than shielding children from it.
Future here, maybe the present, actually, as artificial intelligence continues to reshape everyday life at breakneck speed, parents, educators and young professionals are all asking the same question. Will I take my job? Well, one expert says it's actually inevitable.
And his new book details a guide for how younger generations can navigate this massive societal shift. And with cautious optimism, he outlines the range of new opportunities that he believes AI will create. Joining us now is Matt Britton. He's a lifelong entrepreneur, consumer trend expert, author of the new book Gener AI why Generation Alpha in the age of AI will change everything. That change everything has changed everything. All right, let's start with the maybe bad news. What do you think will become rendered obsolete in the age of AI?
So I think a lot of companies right now, mostly the big tech companies, but I think it's inevitable. It's going to filter down to. A lot of large companies are finding that AI is really good at automating mundane and routine tasks. And for better or for worse, a lot of people's jobs are exactly that. So I think in the short term you're going to find a lot of companies identify cost savings measures like which positions, which industries. Well, if you think about any job where it's very deterministic, do that. Right. So it's file that analyze that data, something more. Read that report. Yes. Yeah. Versus something that is uniquely human. Things that involve creativity, problem solving. Right. Critical thinking. Those are areas that are uniquely human that I think arguably become more valuable in the age of AI.
Okay, so that being said, what is it that we can do now to prepare ourselves as well as parents, teachers, preparing the next generation for that revolution?
So that's what I spend most of my waking hours thinking about. I'm incredibly passionate about this topic. I think the reality is that most people that work for large organizations are not unencumbered enough to really understand the powers of AI. In other words, they're not able to just download any tool that they want to and upload any data because there's legal and data privacy and IT security concerns. So I think if people are going to want to take matters into their own hands, they need to do it at home. So, for example, you can create your own healthbot where you can upload a lifetime's worth of information about your body, MRIs, X rays, blood test information, and create your own healthbot and essentially becomes your everyday copilot for your life and helps.
Does a lot have private information in these chatbots?
Well, a lot of people ask me that. And the reality is the same technology that would host your uploaded information is essentially the same technology that your Gmail is already on. Everything is in the cloud. Nothing is stored locally on your devices. So if you're okay sending sensitive information out on Gmail or even making a purchase with your credit card information online, that's all cryptic cloud information. So putting it into a chatbot really is no different. And I think it's a big misperception in the marketplace.
I'm actually thinking about how helpful that would be with generational knowledge. Right, like knowing what your parents had or what you may be at risk for. But I hate to be a Debbie Downer here. You sound like an optimist when it comes to AI and a realist. Okay, well, okay, so, but what about this new. I'm sure you saw it, this new MIT study, it was just out, I think, this week, where it was basically saying that these kids who have now started using AI growing up in the age of AI, it actually has like, harm their critical thinking skills. How do you swear that?
Well, I think every time there's a new technology, it becomes demonized. When people first started writing scripts, Socrates said it's a bad thing because it's going to not make people have to remember things anymore. Right. And we've seen that with every new technology. I think the reality is it almost doesn't matter. AI is here. It's going to seep into every corner of business, culture and society. And it's up to us to futureproof ourselves and embrace it as a new way of life. And whether it's good or bad, or it harms kids or it doesn't, keeping AI away from your kids isn't really going to future proof them to be a leader. Tomorrow, when every company, NBC included, is reorienting their business model around it, NBC.
Included, that's a lot of food for thought, Britain. We appreciate it. Thank you for your realist perspective and optimism.
