- Millennials and Gen Z constitute most technology users, making them key stakeholders in the digital economy.
- These discussions identify capitalism as the original motive for colonial practices and draw parallels to today’s technological scene, which, in turn, yields the growing conversation about rethinking our economic paradigms and models.
- Empowerment takes place in three specific steps.
A generation of youngsters that is the most connected, educated, and integrated in history makes up more than half of the world’s population today. Young people are recognised as crucial players in defining and delivering a sustainable, equitable, and resilient future by the Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum.
Rethinking the past, present, and future
Concurrently, with artificial intelligence at the helm of what has been named the Fourth Industrial Revolution, technological change is shaping and re-shaping the world around us with unprecedented velocity, scope, and systems impact.
These discussions identify capitalism as the original motive for colonial practices and draw parallels to today’s technological scene, which, in turn, yields to the growing conversation about rethinking our economic paradigms and models.
In the Millennial Manifesto, created in tandem with the Global Shapers Community’s 10th anniversary, youth state: “We will listen and learn from one another – past, present, and future.
We will respect the global context and that all parts of the world co-exist.”
Failing to do so means neglecting to cultivate a generation of stewards of future technology.
There are three strategies youth started deploying to amplify their voice and channel their talent into AI.
Convening
According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, every individual under the age of 18 has the right to take part in decisions that will affect them, according to UNICEF. This includes a platform for people to publicly share their opinions as well as encouragement to do so.
From Casablanca’s Simple AI to Munich’s Women’s Digital Fellowship, the next generation of leaders has created community-focused programmes to close the AI literacy gap, especially for females. They get together to talk about what AI means to them and what they think ethical AI will stand for in the world. By bringing together young people from different continents, we can ensure that they have a stake in global meetings and that their opinions are heard, just as UNFCCC did in 2009 with the intergovernmental climate change meetings.
Empowerment
Empowering young people to translate their opinions into action is essential for producing results while gathering young people’s opinions on establishing responsible AI. Three distinct processes make up the process of empowerment. The first phase entails giving young people the skills they need to participate critically. Technical abilities such as programming and data science are also covered, thanks to programmes like Kaggle’s Data Science BootCamp, Global Shapers’ Career Nub, and Fireblaze AI School. Through fellowships at the Centre for AI and Digital Policy and AI clinics, it also incorporates AI governance and policy. At every stage of their education, students should be given the necessary tools to develop a critical knowledge of moral decisions made in the field of technology development.
Giving partners and collaborators access to networks and channels is the second step. For instance, OMDENA is a global community with a platform to bring people together and develop AI solutions to practical issues. Regionally speaking, Khipu and Tierra Común are in charge of Latin America, while Indaba is driving a drive to develop machine learning in Africa. The final stage is to make money accessible so that the talents may be put to use in initiatives, solutions, and impacts.
Action
The Global Shapers Community is a community that promotes discussion, action, and change. By acting, we hope to lessen inequality throughout the world. One strategy is to empower young people to create their own ethical AI initiatives, whether they are technical, governmental, or both, and to be treated equally in any AI ecosystem to shape the development of the technology.
The Stanford-incubated AI4ALL programme, which targets high school students, is a fantastic example. It developed initiatives using AI to study disparities, enhance the criminal justice system, enhance patient outcomes, and give surgeons input using computer vision. Projects on cyberbullying, energy efficiency and educational support were developed by Intel’s AI for Youth division. The World Youth AI manifesto was published by the Global Shapers as part of the AI Future Lab and was introduced at the ITU Generation Connect international conference in Rwanda. Therefore, as millennials and Generation Z have grown up with technology, young people are essential to ensuring that AI is used responsibly around the world, not just for themselves but also for their peers.
What are the next steps towards responsible AI?
Young people will continue to convene, empower, and act through the AI Future Lab and Global Shapers.
They also call upon decision-makers to act in two ways.
Secondly, in the long term, there is a need to reflect on how you can deploy, convene, empower, and act in an organization’s engagement around responsible AI, or support those implementing them at an AI Ecosystem level.
The AI Youth Manifesto is a prime example of galvanising youth action through leadership.
With the help of young leaders, major companies can incorporate more conscientious AI and technology practices into their responsible leadership plans.
Only by listening to the voice of the youth might we become better stewards of future technology.
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Source: World Economic Forum
