Episode 121: Why Is Gen Z So Wary of AI?

Oct 28

This solo episode from Jonny Amos focuses on the tension between AI and Gen Z, especially in music and creative tech. Jonny explores why so many young creators feel discomfort, distrust, or outright disgust toward AI, and why understanding those fears matters more than forcing adoption.He pulls together observations from artists, builders, investors, conferences, and workshops to unpack the real concerns around generative music, perfection, attribution, over-reliance, water use, replication, and exploitation.

Key topics

He separates AI into distinct layers, arguing that a prompt-made song, AI-assisted mixing, and software that suggests guitar patterns are not all the same thing.
He shares a concern that young creators may feel pressure to make “perfect” work in an AI-shaped environment, and that this expectation can be psychologically damaging.
He highlights a major generation gap in createch, where builders and investors may be focused on Gen Z without actually understanding Gen Z’s attitudes.
He discusses training data and attribution, including the idea of isolating what was used in training and turning that into some form of royalty split.
He compares AI training to sampling, asking whether using parts of existing work to create something new is fundamentally different from older music practices.
He raises the fear of becoming reliant on Gen AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude, and whether that could reduce learning or memory in the same way GPS changed navigation habits.
He addresses environmental concerns, especially water use, while arguing that the narrative around AI’s footprint can sometimes become an excuse to reject the technology outright.
He notes another core fear among young creators: being replicated, exploited, or treated as replaceable by tools built by big tech companies.
He argues against telling young people they must embrace AI, and instead says they should understand what AI can do, what it should do, and what humans can still do without it.

Timestamps

(0:03) Why this episode is about Gen Z and AI now

(1:09) AI is already embedded in music, not coming later

(2:08) Young artists’ fear and disgust toward AI

(3:36) Builders saying they target Gen Z but may not understand them

(4:44) The question: how do you build a sustainable creative career?

(5:31) Jonny’s research approach: listening to Gen Z fears

(7:00) Why “AI in music” is not one single issue

(7:44) Prompt-made songs versus AI-assisted human creativity

(8:33) Hidden AI inside software instruments and workflows

(9:14) The pressure to create perfection

(10:43) Training data, attribution, and music copyright problems