We live in an age when your phone can finish your sentences, but can it finish your thoughts?In this deeply reflective episode, Subha and Hasita sit down with Kashyap Kompella and Dr. Sujata Kelkar Shetty to ask: What is technology doing to our emotional lives, particularly for teenagers growing up in a hyper-connected era?Meet our guests- Kashyap Kompella leads RPA2AI Research, advising global enterprises on AI, automation, and governance. He brings clarity to complex systems in a way that’s practical and human.

- Dr. Sujata Kelkar Shetty is a resilience coach, trained biologist, and author. Her work centers on helping people, especially youth, build internal strength in the face of external turbulence. In this conversation, we explore:- The dual nature of AI: tool vs. trap- How youth brains respond differently to digital stimuli- The quiet costs of dependency: on cognition, creativity, agency- Frameworks for resilience: the four key pillars- How we regulate what should (and should not) be outsourced- What care, community, and context look like in a tech-steeped worldWhether you’re a parent, educator, psychotherapist, or a curious human trying to stay grounded, there’s something here for you.Chapters:00:00 Highlights01:29 Framing AI’s emotional impact07:41 Teens, thinking, and identity13:51 Cognitive decline & emotional fragility19:26 Algorithms, anxiety & addiction loops25:46 Four resilience boosters revealed32:21 Guardrails: regulation, design, ethics36:51 Support systems: home, school, system42:31 Narratives of hope & paths forward1:01:02 End Read | Watch | Listen[AI mental health, adolescent resilience, digital wellbeing, teenage anxiety, tech addiction, neuroscience, wellness, career podcast]--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries [email protected] © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna