My son, James, is 9 years old. And I've been thinking a lot about what the world he'll enter at 20 will look like. It probably won't look much like the one I entered.
Preparing My Son for an AI Future
AI Changes What We Value
AI is already making information cheaper and automating more and more routine work.
So what becomes valuable when everyone has access to the same information?
I'm starting to think the advantage will come from knowing how to:
- think
- build
- sell
- communicate
- solve problems
Our Selling Experiment with James
That's why I'm starting small with my son, James. This summer, we're learning how to sell.
We've already set up a lemonade stand in Herăstrău Park. Now we're selling things around the house that we don't use anymore:
- Tennis rackets
- Old boxing gloves
- Toys
James takes the photos. He learns how to crop and edit them. I help him write the listings. I show him how to post them online. And then we wait to see if anyone actually wants to buy them.
Why Basic Tech Skills Come First
He's also spending about 20 minutes a day learning how to type. (I recommend edclub.com, a free program that teaches you how to type.) We're learning what files and folders are. How to take screenshots. How to upload and organize files on a computer. We're not even using ChatGPT or Claude yet. And that's intentional.
Right now, I want him to learn something more fundamental: how to take an idea and turn it into something real. Come up with something. Build it. Try to sell it. Get rejected. Change it. Try again. This approach helps me stay present as a father, emphasizing practical, hands-on learning.
The Truth About Future Jobs
I don't know exactly what jobs will exist when James is 20. Neither does anyone else. But I do know I want him to be comfortable creating things, communicating with people, using technology, and figuring things out when nobody gives him the answer. AI will probably change what our kids need to know. But I don't think it changes what they need to become.
Curious. Resourceful. Creative. And capable of building something from nothing. It's like sending a time capsule email for kids; you're investing in their future growth and capabilities.
How Do You Prepare Your Kids
The future is uncertain, but equipping our children with foundational skills like critical thinking, creativity, and resilience will always be valuable. Teaching them to build, sell, communicate, and solve problems from a young age helps them adapt to whatever new challenges or opportunities arise.
These hands-on experiences, even simple ones like selling old toys, foster an entrepreneurial spirit and a comfort with trial and error. They learn that ideas can become reality, and that setbacks are just part of the process of refinement and growth.
I'm curious: if you have kids, what are you doing to prepare them for a world where AI can do more and more of the work we've traditionally done?