Human Connection in the Age of AI: What Young People Need to Thrive

Young people are coming of age in a time of rapid change and deep uncertainty. AI companions and chatbots are now part of daily life, with nearly three out of four teens reporting they use these tools for comfort, care, and connection. These platforms are shaping identity formation in real time, yet they are rarely designed with young people’s developmental needs in mind.

At the same time, families, schools, and community leaders are navigating widening cultural divides, resource constraints, and a relentless stream of deficit-based narratives about youth. These stories erode hope and overshadow the strengths, resilience, and possibilities young people bring into our communities.

Amid this rise in digital companionship, it is vital to underscore the significance of human connection. Unlike algorithms, caring adults bring embodied presence, empathy, and a moral compass that technology cannot replicate. Now more than ever, we must be intentional about cultivating quality human relationships—so young people can turn to trusted people, not just tools, for safety, guidance, and belonging.

Why This Matters

This is not the first time the field has faced such a moment. In the early 1990s, the Positive Youth Development (PYD) movement countered problem-saturated narratives by reframing young people as resourceful, resilient, and full of potential. That shift reshaped policy, research, and practice—ushering in asset-based approaches that remain foundational today.

Yet deficit narratives persist. Families and communities continue to feel overwhelmed by stories of disconnection and decline. We have yet to fully shift societal perceptions of youth—or build the collective will to create systems where all young people thrive.

The Vision Ahead

The challenges of this moment require us not to respond with fear or fascination, but with vision. It’s not about what young people need protection from, but what we are drawing them toward.

That vision requires designing environments—both digital and physical—that nurture relationships, expand opportunities, and unleash the strengths within every young person. It means:

• Replacing deficit thinking with a new narrative of thriving rooted in hope and possibility.
• Uniting the wisdom of research, practice, and lived experience to guide how we design environments where youth can flourish.
• Engaging young people as co-creators of their future.
• Building cross-sector alliances—schools, community organizations, funders, families, and policy leaders—committed to aligning systems with the inherent value of every young person.
• Designing digital spaces with the same intentionality as physical ones, ensuring they serve development rather than undermine it.

Building a Movement for Youth Thriving

Several factors make this the right moment for a bold shift:

• Young people themselves are demanding change and claiming voice in new ways.
• Youth are voicing a clear desire for meaningful intergenerational relationships and human connection.
• There is growing consensus across research, policy, and practice that youth thriving—not just problem prevention—must be the goal.
• Emerging networks and alliances are ready to align around a shared vision.
• Digital ecosystems, though complex, offer unprecedented opportunities for connection and movement-building.

Now is the time to move beyond fear and division toward connection and thriving. The future cannot be shaped by quick fixes or isolated programs—it requires a movement that reshapes systems, narratives, and environments across the youth ecosystem. Bringing this vision to life will take unified commitment and collaboration across our entire community—no single organization can achieve it alone.