Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What if the messy parts of human relationships are what we need most?
AI can simulate empathy. It can remember what you said, answer every question, and never get frustrated. But that missing friction might just be the most important part of learning to be human.
This week on our podcast, Lavin Voices, we sat down with Lavin Exclusive Speaker Dr. Dana Suskind: pediatric surgeon, University of Chicago professor, and New York Times bestselling author of Parent Nation and Human Raised. In this clip, she explains why the misunderstandings, ruptures, repairs, and frustrations built into human interaction aren’t a bug in the system. They’re “actually the curriculum.”
Those imperfect moments teach children empathy, perspective-taking, and the basic truth that relationships go both ways. Dana compares AI companionship to fruit snacks: an easier, sweeter, nutrition-less imitation of the real thing.
Dana has spent her career studying how human interaction shapes developing brains. In her practical, science-backed keynotes, she helps parents, educators, policymakers, and leaders embrace the benefits of AI while protecting the relationships that help children and adults alike learn, adapt, and thrive.
Enjoyed this clip? The full episode is out now! Watch it and learn more about Dana at the link in bio.
What if the messy parts of human relationships are what we need most?
AI can simulate empathy. It can remember what you said, answer every question, and never get frustrated. But that missing friction might just be the most important part of learning to be human.
This week on our podcast, Lavin Voices, we sat down with Lavin Exclusive Speaker Dr. Dana Suskind: pediatric surgeon, University of Chicago professor, and New York Times bestselling author of Parent Nation and Human Raised. In this clip, she explains why the misunderstandings, ruptures, repairs, and frustrations built into human interaction aren’t a bug in the system. They’re “actually the curriculum.”
Those imperfect moments teach children empathy, perspective-taking, and the basic truth that relationships go both ways. Dana compares AI companionship to fruit snacks: an easier, sweeter, nutrition-less imitation of the real thing.
Dana has spent her career studying how human interaction shapes developing brains. In her practical, science-backed keynotes, she helps parents, educators, policymakers, and leaders embrace the benefits of AI while protecting the relationships that help children and adults alike learn, adapt, and thrive.
Enjoyed this clip? The full episode is out now! Watch it and learn more about Dana at the link in bio.
