‘Ask us first’: Children demand a voice on AI’s future
UN rights chief Volker Türk urged that children must be consulted on AI development, warning that current practices risk their rights and well-being.
Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that children—growing up with AI—are often excluded from decisions shaping the technology that affects their lives. Speaking at a high-level meeting in New York, he emphasized that children must be treated as rights-holders, not afterthoughts, in AI governance. The event was co-chaired by leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto.
A survey of over 1,000 children across 49 countries revealed widespread concerns about AI, including fake images of real people, exploitation of personal data, and erosion of creativity. Children expressed fears that AI could replace meaningful relationships with family, friends, teachers, or therapists. Their core demand was to be heard before decisions are made, not after the outcomes are delivered.
Türk cited the Convention on the Rights of the Child as the framework for AI governance, stressing that companies must conduct human rights risk assessments before releasing products. He criticized voluntary commitments as insufficient and called for genuine transparency and independent oversight instead of self-regulation.
The New York meeting followed the launch of the Coalition for Children's Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence in Geneva, which includes governments, UN agencies, tech firms, and civil society. Seventeen countries have joined the coalition, aiming to involve children directly in designing, deploying, and monitoring AI systems that impact their lives.