new book
July 24, 2026

Setting Kids Up for Success in the Age of AI: Dana Suskind’s New Book, Human Raised

AI is entering children’s lives at a breakneck pace: from smart cribs to interactive companions. But our most powerful tool as parents, educators, and role models isn’t a chatbot, says Dr. Dana Suskind. It’s our own human connection. In her new bestselling book, Human Raised (out now!), this surgeon and professor offers her research-backed H.O.P.E. framework for building healthy young brains that are wired to learn, adapt, and connect. A Lavin Exclusive Speaker, Dana sat down with us this week to talk about how “a human-raised childhood is the best way to get your child ready for a high-tech future.” Read more below, and get in touch to book her to speak at your event!

Dana is a Lavin Exclusive Speaker, surgeon, and professor at the University of Chicago. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of Parent Nation and Thirty Million Words—and her new book, Human Raised, is “a stunning book about how to protect our children—and our humanity—in the age of AI” (Adam Grant, Think Again). She sat down with Lavin to share her H.O.P.E. framework for raising children alongside AI.

H: Human connection is irreplaceable.

“Children develop through relationships,” Dana says. “Relationships are the segue into learning, and learning to become human.” AI toys, like LLM-powered teddy bears that can talk to children, may be able to respond and even remember past conversations, but they’re no replacement for real human interactions with people who care about you. “Human interaction is a biological necessity,” she says. “We need to double down on it.”

O: Own your imperfections.

Conversations between human beings often involve misunderstandings, conflict, rupture, and repair. “These messy aspects of human interaction aren’t a bug in the system,” Dana says. “They’re actually the curriculum.” Friction teaches children empathy, resilience, and how to get along with other people. “If dad didn’t understand you, you need to help him understand what you’re saying—which is part of understanding that relationships are bidirectional.”

P: Protect the early years.

We need to be thoughtful and intentional about AI throughout our lifespans, but particularly during the early years, “when we’re building the hard drive of the human brain,” Dana says. The stakes are high during early childhood because what’s formed early can be formed for life. That’s why AI tools should be thoughtfully assessed according to a child’s developmental needs: “A car seat for an infant looks very different from a car seat for a three-year-old.”

E: Enhance—don’t replace—connection.

“AI is a miraculous technology that we’ve created,” Dana says. “It can do so much good. If we’re going to use it, let’s make sure that it enhances us—that it allows more human interaction and presence—not replaces us.” By handling tasks like meal planning and scheduling that eat up our time, AI can allow for more flourishing and deeper relationships. “Ultimately, the story of AI is the story of human connection,” she says. “We need to reconnect with that idea.”

Want more from Dana?

Learn more about her here, and contact us to book her to speak at your event!

Dana is a Lavin Exclusive Speaker, surgeon, and professor at the University of Chicago. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of Parent Nation and Thirty Million Words—and her new book, Human Raised, is "a stunning book about how to protect our children—and our humanity—in the age of AI" (Adam Grant, Think Again). She sat down with Lavin to share her H.O.P.E. framework for raising children alongside AI.

H: Human connection is irreplaceable.

"Children develop through relationships," Dana says. "Relationships are the segue into learning, and learning to become human." AI toys, like LLM-powered teddy bears that can talk to children, may be able to respond and even remember past conversations, but they're no replacement for real human interactions with people who care about you. "Human interaction is a biological necessity," she says. "We need to double down on it."

O: Own your imperfections.

Conversations between human beings often involve misunderstandings, conflict, rupture, and repair. "These messy aspects of human interaction aren't a bug in the system," Dana says. "They're actually the curriculum." Friction teaches children empathy, resilience, and how to get along with other people. "If dad didn't understand you, you need to help him understand what you're saying—which is part of understanding that relationships are bidirectional."

P: Protect the early years.

We need to be thoughtful and intentional about AI throughout our lifespans, but particularly during the early years, "when we're building the hard drive of the human brain," Dana says. The stakes are high during early childhood because what's formed early can be formed for life. That's why AI tools should be thoughtfully assessed according to a child's developmental needs: "A car seat for an infant looks very different from a car seat for a three-year-old."

E: Enhance—don’t replace—connection.

"AI is a miraculous technology that we've created," Dana says. "It can do so much good. If we're going to use it, let's make sure that it enhances us—that it allows more human interaction and presence—not replaces us." By handling tasks like meal planning and scheduling that eat up our time, AI can allow for more flourishing and deeper relationships. "Ultimately, the story of AI is the story of human connection," she says. "We need to reconnect with that idea."