--- title: Why Young People Are Struggling to Communicate description: Students' communication skills are eroding at an accelerating rate warn Stanford lecturers Rachel Konrad and Matt Abrahams. canonical: https://time.com/7339501/young-people-struggling-to-communicate/ author: Rachel Konrad article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-12-09T11:15:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-30T13:37:03.237Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Why Young People Are Struggling to Communicate og:description: Students' communication skills are eroding warn Stanford lecturers Rachel Konrad and Matt Abrahams. og:url: https://time.com/7339501/young-people-struggling-to-communicate/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltffa1c3138f3cdf5a/6998cc3593610c8a2cc303ca/Struggle-to-communicate.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2121 og:image:height: 1193 og:image:alt: A couple talking to one another with a split between them og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why Young People Are Struggling to Communicate twitter:description: Students' communication skills are eroding warn Stanford lecturers Rachel Konrad and Matt Abrahams. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltffa1c3138f3cdf5a/6998cc3593610c8a2cc303ca/Struggle-to-communicate.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  IDEAS Time ideas # Why Young People Are Struggling to Communicate > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=bb1d7935-1357-4494-937d-7d60c8ceaf25&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=bb1d7935-1357-4494-937d-7d60c8ceaf25&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=bb1d7935-1357-4494-937d-7d60c8ceaf25&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=bb1d7935-1357-4494-937d-7d60c8ceaf25&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Rachel Konrad](https://time.com/author/rachel-konrad/) and [Matt Abrahams](https://time.com/author/matt-abrahams/) Rachel Konrad is a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business Dec 9, 2025 11:15 AM UTC  A collage of photographic images and drawn shapes A collage of photographic images and drawn shapes Richard Drury—Getty Images by [Rachel Konrad](https://time.com/author/rachel-konrad/) and [Matt Abrahams](https://time.com/author/matt-abrahams/) Rachel Konrad is a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business Dec 9, 2025 11:15 AM UTC We teach communication skills at Stanford University. We’re also parents, coaches, and consultants in Silicon Valley. We’ve been worried about adolescents’ diminishing writing and speaking skills for years. Lately, we have noticed that these skills are eroding at an accelerating rate, month-over-month. Communication skills are essential for creating healthy relationships, maintaining mental health, fostering civic engagement, and building a successful career. And, while teenagers today are the most connected generation in history, they are also the least prepared to communicate with depth, confidence, and empathy. The environments where students develop communication skills are collapsing. Social media squeezes out face-to-face interactions. Memes replace conversations. And much of our test-based education system emphasizes rote memory and standard exams over fundamental skills such as storytelling—a core cognitive and social function that shapes our identities, bonds our communities, and [differentiates our species](https://time.com/5043166/storytelling-evolution/). The bottom line is that young people are at risk of losing the communication skills that connect us. The bright side is that simple measures may help reverse the slide. ## How we got here: lockdowns, likes, LLMs During the pandemic, American teenagers’ face-to-face interaction plunged. In its place came extensive texting, social media, and, in late 2022, AI companions. As these tools became the norm, real-life communication plunged. U.S. teens [spend on average 5 hours per day on social media](https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/04/teen-social-use-mental-health#:~:text=68,social%2Duse%2Dmental%2Dhealth); nearly half are [online constantly](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/12/12/teens-social-media-and-technology-2024/). Likes, streaks, and emojis may feel like connection—but face-to-face contact is what builds meaningful intimacy and reinforces communication skills. One survey found that nearly [nine out of 10 students ages 14-22 in the USA](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quizlets-how-america-learns-report-explores-the-future-of-education-through-the-lens-of-ai-digital-learning-and-student-success-302506174.html?tc=eml%5Fcleartime) use AI for schoolwork. When a student types a complex question into a chatbot, they get a polished (though not necessarily authentic, accurate or nuanced) answer in seconds. As a result, many students have come to expect immediate resolutions to life’s questions and challenges—without first-person research or reflection. [Research](https://slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40561-024-00316-7#:~:text=AI%2Dgenerated%20content.-,Cognitive%20abilities,these%20three%20critical%20cognitive%20abilities.) suggests that using chatbots reduces mental effort, cuts brain engagement, and leads to reduced activity in brain areas responsible for memory and creativity. This typically translates into unoriginal work, diminished self-awareness, difficulty recalling information, and an increased dependency on bots. What happens after students lose mental stamina? We worry that adolescents won’t have the enthusiasm to bond with others. They’ll face greater mental health challenges, disengage from communities, and struggle professionally. Unless we rekindle our communication skills, the 2020s “[loneliness epidemic](https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf)” could stretch into a “solitary century.” ## Solutions from the front lines We live and work in the heart of tech-crazed San Francisco Bay Area, where use of AI [is even greater than in America at large](https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/who-what-and-where-ai-adoption-america). Students here use AI to write college applications, summarize novels, get nutrition advice, diagnose depression and more. Some elementary school students start getting AI lessons in fifth grade. Perhaps because our region is on the bleeding edge, we’re already hearing from young people worried about their waning communication skills. For the first time, students have been asking for help in reclaiming their eroding writing and speaking skills. Here’s what we recommend: * Take pride in your own thoughts: Don’t use AI to replace your original ideas. Let bots polish your second or third draft. Use bots as collaborators. * Join a community: Connect with others and refine your opinions in shared, screenless activities. Join drama, debate, and improv clubs. * Get a job: Manage a coffee shop’s breakfast rush. De-escalate customer conflicts at a retailer. Work with people of different ages, backgrounds, perspectives, and mother tongues. Customer service jobs enhance your resume, empathy and patience (unlike anonymous interactions with like-minded followers online). For teachers: Instead of limiting AI use (it’s futile), prioritize the intellectual _process_ over conventional academic _output_. Conduct frequent, in-class writing and oral exercises that demand coherent thinking and pithy communication. Grade students on the quality of their analysis, synthesis, and justification—rather than take-home essays or quick calculations. We also recommend that teachers “cold call” students – the practice of picking students at random to answer a question without the student raising their hand. Students regularly tell us that the concern of coming off poorly in front of classmates motivates them to absorb lessons and form cogent opinions far more than simply finishing an assigned reading or essay. And parents should model “intentional presence” if they want to help their children to have strong communication skills as adults. Stop multitasking. Silence phones during meals. Boost your own nonverbal behavior (making eye contact, using gesture and body language). Verbalize how you come up with ideas, resolve conflicts, negotiate solutions, and assert yourself, showing kids your thought process in real time. Share and discuss articles, podcasts, and books to ritualize dialogue over passive consumption. Social media and AI aren’t going away. In fact, technology can supercharge young people’s learning and careers—if they don’t lose their writing, speaking, and thinking skills in the process. Communication defines how we think, connect, learn, work, and live together. Without it, we risk raising a generation unequipped for the collaboration, leadership, and critical thinking required in civic life. [TIME Ideas](https://www.time.com/ideas) hosts the world's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. We welcome outside contributions. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7339501/young-people-struggling-to-communicate/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7339501/young-people-struggling-to-communicate/"},"headline":"Why Young People Are Struggling to Communicate","datePublished":"2025-12-09T11:15:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-30T13:37:03.237Z","description":"Students' communication skills are eroding at an accelerating rate warn Stanford lecturers Rachel Konrad and Matt Abrahams.","url":"https://time.com/7339501/young-people-struggling-to-communicate/","keywords":["Culture"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltffa1c3138f3cdf5a/6998cc3593610c8a2cc303ca/Struggle-to-communicate.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rachel Konrad","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/rachel-konrad/"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Abrahams","jobTitle":"Abrahams is a lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, the author of Think Faster, Talk Smarter and the host of Think Fast, Talk Smart: The Podcast.","url":"https://time.com/author/matt-abrahams/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltffa1c3138f3cdf5a/6998cc3593610c8a2cc303ca/Struggle-to-communicate.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"A couple talking to one another with a split between them","caption":"A couple talking to one another with a split between them","creditText":"Richard Drury—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/culture/","name":"Culture"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7339501/young-people-struggling-to-communicate/","name":"Why Young People Are Struggling to Communicate"}}]}] ```