Genevieve Bell

Tech vs. Talk: Is Technology Changing Human Relationships?

Alex Witt, Genevieve Bell, Linda Burch, Sherry Turkle, Sam Yagan

Hosted by Alex Witt at the Milken Institute Global Conference, panelists including Sherry Turkle, Genevieve Bell, and Sam Yagan examined how smartphone proliferation erodes empathy, disrupts family dynamics, and alters the landscape of romantic relationships. Experts highlighted a sharp decline in human connection metrics alongside rising anxiety over the "always-on" culture, noting that children are increasingly driving the establishment of new social boundaries regarding device use. The discussion concluded with a call for intentional design and parental modeling to preserve the friction necessary for deep human interaction while navigating the inevitable evolution of technology.