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What Should My Children Do?

How to Flourish in the Age of AI

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What Should My Children Do?

By: Daniel Susskind
Narrated by: Daniel Susskind
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From one of our leading experts on work and technology, a bold, clear-eyed, and hopeful guide to seizing opportunity in the age of AI

What should the next generation learn—and what should they stop worrying about—in a world transformed by artificial intelligence? AI is rewriting the rules in the classroom, the job market and the workplace, leaving parents, teachers, students and all types of workers unsure about how best to prepare for what lies ahead. In What Should My Children Do?, globally renowned economist Daniel Susskind cuts through the outdated advice to show us what young people actually need to succeed now.

We should not ban tools or discourage new skills that are in demand, Susskind argues, or cling to inherited ways of working. Instead, he reveals how people can master new technologies without eroding other essential skills. From reorganizing the curriculum to re-imagining white-collar careers, Susskind maps a smarter, more productive path forward.

This requires a fundamental mindset shift: we must embrace the extraordinary opportunities that AI brings—from personal tutors to scientific breakthroughs—rather than retreat from them. Drawing on fifteen years of research, this book is an evidence-based and practical guide to one of the most urgent questions of our time.

© Daniel Susskind 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Computer Science Future Studies History & Culture Machine Theory & Artificial Intelligence Science Social Sciences Technology & Society Technology Student Management
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Critic reviews

As old paradigms of work and education fade, we need new ideas for a time of extreme change. This is a wise and brilliant guide that shows us not only what to do, but why human potential still matters (Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI and co-author of The Coming Wave )
At a time when many feel anxious about what AI will mean for the next generation, Daniel Susskind offers clarity, wisdom and hope. His humane and deeply thoughtful approach to education is essential reading for anyone who wants young people not simply to survive in the age of AI, but to thrive. Bold, pioneering and meticulously researched, this is a very important book (Julia Samuel, author of Every Family Has a Story )
Few subjects could be more urgent, and few writers are better equipped to address it. Daniel Susskind has thought deeply about the impact of AI on all of us and on future generations. He shows the way forward with a clarity that is rare in the midst of today’s uncertainties. I love his argument that succeeding in the coming decades will require not only the teaching of competence but the cultivation of character. This is a book not only to read but to reflect upon at length (William Hague)
“What Should My Children Do?” is probably the question I’m asked most about AI and Daniel Susskind’s book is the best answer so far. Optimistic, but thoughtful, it offers a positive, human-centred path for navigating this extraordinary moment, without ever trivialising the technology or settling for comforting but simplistic answers. I highly recommend it to everyone, whether a parent or not! (Matt Clifford, CEO of Entrepreneur First)
An essential navigation tool for parents and students alike. In What Should My Children Do?, Daniel Susskind looks plainly at some of the most urgent issues of our day and argues for flexibility, basic skills, and working with AI instead of against it. Susskind doesn't pretend to know exactly what's coming, but he offers a wise and constructive framework to make the future digestible, manageable and a little less terrifying (Pamela Druckerman, author of Bringing Up Bébé )
In an age when machines can master almost any technical skill, education must aim higher. Daniel Susskind makes a compelling case that we should prepare children not merely to be competent, but to become thoughtful, resilient, morally discerning human beings. What Should My Children Do? is a deeply humane guide to education in the age of AI—and a must-read (Erik Brynjolfsson, co-author of The Second Machine Age )
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