Thanks to Lori Cashman
- Lori Cashman has two twins, who are 21 and 19, plus an 18-year-old.
- She pays for their AI subscriptions and talks about the nuances of AI.
- She wants them to hone their critical thinking skills in college, not prepare for a specific career.
This as told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lori Cashmanmanaging partner at Visible Ventures. It has been edited for length and clarity.
When people hear that I had five children in three years, they assume that… baby years must have been the hardest part. But when the kids were babies and toddlers, I managed pretty well. I could anticipate their needs, change their routines or hire a sitter.
As they got older, things got trickier. Today my twins are 21 and 19, and my youngest son is 18. The older twins are entering their senior year of college, while the younger ones will be heading off to college in the fall, when my youngest will be a high school senior.
I am also the founder of a venture capital firm company that works with many Gen Z founders. I believe this generation is entering adulthood at a uniquely destabilizing moment, with AI reshaping the workforce. I’m worried, but I’m also hopeful.
AI will create many opportunities for this generation
Things are changing so quickly with AI. It’s really been this past year that I’ve been banging the drum and encouraging my kids to do so use any AI tools they can. They have the ability to get into something at ground level that is going to be very big. I want them to embrace that: roll up their sleeves and learn as much as possible.
Thanks to Lori Cashman
When I talk to investors, I tell them, “The surfer chooses the wave.” Technological innovationswhether it was the early internet or the shift to mobile, have always created waves of opportunity, and AI will do so for those who choose to drive.
My husband and I pay AI subscriptions for our children. We also make room for nuanced conversations. There are a lot of mixed messages about AI, especially on campus. What constitutes academic dishonesty varies from professor to professor. I want my kids to use AI, but not abuse it, and no one has clear answers yet on what that looks like.
Interdisciplinary working is more important than ever
As my three youngest children prepare to go to college, I encourage them to focus on interdisciplinary learning. Most of my children study economics in one way or another. I would like them to take advantage of different concentrations and certificates to enhance that degree.
It is important that they expand their thinking beyond their major. College is no longer about preparing for a specific job. It’s about learning to apply your skills at the intersection of different sectors. Maybe that’s medicine and climate; humanities and technology; sports and marketing.
The ability to solve interdisciplinary problems will serve Gen Z well in the future.
I want my children to develop skills in a playful way
Young children learn through play, and young adults can do the same. Not everything should be about resume building. As serious as some of these discussions are, young people need to be somewhat playful in their approach.
Things are changing, yes. But being able to follow your curiosity and interests is a great way to build experience and exposure in the real world. That, in turn, will equip them for whatever job they land.
I believe that Generation Z will be highly entrepreneurial and will blaze paths that look different from previous careers. The promise of AI is that more people than ever will have the tools they need to build a successful business, as long as they can conceptualize new ideas.
My children are all so different, despite being close in age
Being a twin mom, times two, is interesting. My children come from the same bloodline, grew up pretty much at the same time, and they are all so different. It was a challenge to have them so close together, especially in the teenage years. Unlike parents with larger age gaps between the children, I didn’t have time to acknowledge my mistakes and adjust my parenting style. Like any parent, I just did my best.
That’s how I feel about supporting Generation Z. There’s never been such a pace of change. Helping young adults in any way possible – whether that’s mentorship, a coffee chat or internships – is the best thing we can do to prepare them for an uncertain future.
