Raising Human Leaders in an AI World with Aubrey Schmalley

💡 As AI becomes embedded in classrooms, homes, and the daily lives of children, a critical question demands our attention: what are we actually doing to the developing brains of the next generation — and how do we ensure technology serves their growth rather than undermining it?

In this episode of AI with Bry, we explore how artificial intelligence and digital technology are reshaping child development, why neurodiverse children face unique challenges in a tech-saturated world, and what parents, educators, and leaders must do to protect the human skills no algorithm can replace.

I'm joined by Aubrey Schmalley, occupational therapist, author, and child development advocate whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, education, and technology. Aubrey is the author of Uniquely Human: Raising Leaders and Creators in an AI World, a guide for parents and educators navigating the challenge of raising resilient, creative, thinking humans in an age of artificial intelligence.

Drawing from her clinical experience working with neurodiverse children and her deep understanding of how the brain develops through multisensory experience, Aubrey challenges us to look honestly at what screen time, AI tools, and digital shortcuts are doing to the children in our care — and offers a practical, hopeful framework for responsible technology use in homes and schools.

One of the most thought-provoking moments in our conversation centers on the tension between AI as a helpful tool and AI as a developmental crutch. Aubrey argues that visualization, human connection, and the struggle of learning are not inefficiencies to be optimized away — they are the very processes that build capable, creative leaders. When AI removes that productive friction too early, we may be trading short-term convenience for long-term human potential.

We also explore what responsible AI integration in education actually looks like, why it takes a full generation to shift the tide in schools, and how parents and educators can model the mindful relationship with technology that children need to see in order to develop one themselves.

If you're a parent, educator, school administrator, pediatric healthcare professional, or anyone thinking seriously about how AI is shaping the humans of tomorrow, this episode offers both a wake-up call and a road map.

👤 Connect with Aubrey Schmalley

🌐 Website: https://aubreyshmaley.com

📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/aubreyshmaley

📚 Book: Uniquely Human: Raising Leaders and Creators in an AI World — https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Unquely+Human+Raising+Leaders+and+Creators+in+an+AI+World

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🎙️ Welcome to AI with Bry – Learn. Leverage. Lead.

You’re listening to the show that helps founders, operators, and marketers unlock the full potential of AI in real business settings. Hosted by Bry Dennstedt — Fractional CTO at TechCXO and founding technologist behind MDLIVE’s early growth — this podcast gives you insider access to how AI is transforming startups, SMBs, and scaling companies in real time.

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