Maria Axente - Empowering the Next Generation: Children, Parents, and AI
Keynote Speech
In a lively and thought-provoking talk, Maria Axente spotlighted the promise and perils of artificial intelligence for children. A Transylvanian native who learned Hungarian by watching limited TV broadcasts, Axente drew on her personal journey to illustrate the broader landscape of how rapidly evolving AI tools intersect with the lives of youth.
New Opportunities and Responsibilities
Axente noted that over the past two years, generative AI has transformed digital environments at an astounding speed. Children are often at the forefront of experimentation with these technologies, sometimes even outpacing their parents’ understanding and awareness. From personalized AI assistants in education to mental health monitoring apps in schools, Axente outlined how AI could become a powerful enabler for nurturing young people’s talent and well-being.
Yet the speaker cautioned that society must not treat children as “AI guinea pigs.” While big headlines may highlight worst-case scenarios, Axente emphasized a proactive approach. She urged families, educators, and policymakers to keep pace with these tools, ensuring they are leveraged to empower rather than exploit.
Where AI Meets Childhood
- Education
Personalized AI tutoring could revolutionize how kids learn, offering interactive and customized experiences that free teachers to focus on interpersonal engagement. - Entertainment and Play
By tailoring content to each child, AI might encourage safe, meaningful play in virtual and real-world settings—striking a balance between recreation and online protection. - Health and Well-being
With early prevention vital for healthy development, AI offers mental health support tools and ongoing monitoring, particularly helpful at a time when many schools face resource constraints. - Future of Work
While parents often worry about the jobs of tomorrow, Axente invited the audience to ask a more critical question: What unique skills and values should we cultivate so that children thrive? She argued that rather than fitting kids into old molds, we must redefine success for a new era shaped by AI.
Building a Healthy AI Ecosystem
Axente believes that yes, “the kids are all right”—provided adults play an active role in guiding and supporting them. Her call to action is deceptively simple yet powerful:
- Experiment Together
Encourage children (and colleagues in the workplace) to test AI tools, explore their boundaries, and discuss the results openly. - Foster Critical Thinking
Not all AI tools are created equal. Children must learn to probe limitations and question outputs—skills that many young people are already practicing by verifying results. - Cultivate Self-Awareness
With only 15% of adults in one U.S. study deemed self-aware, Axente underscores how crucial it is to instill strong values, empathy, and purpose in children. AI can shape us as much as we shape it—so we must empower the next generation to remain grounded in humanity.
A Vision of Creative Potential
Quoting the legacy of the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, Axente imagined a future where AI provides children with “brushes and canvas” previously inaccessible. By democratizing resources and boosting human creativity, AI can help foster “the next generation of Vermeers.” Ultimately, Axente’s message is clear: with the right oversight and a focus on ethics, we can harness AI to nurture children’s full potential instead of limiting it.
