Artificial intelligence is creating new opportunities, but it is also raising important questions about privacy, equality and freedom of expression.
In 2022, UNESCO, UNITAR and the SALTO Participation & Information Resource Centre invited young people to help broaden access to an online course exploring how AI can affect human rights. Young volunteers were encouraged to translate and review the course so that more young people could access the learning in their own languages.
Understanding the rights behind the technology
The free course, designed for young adults aged 16–24, focuses on three key areas:
- freedom of expression;
- the right to privacy; and
- the right to equality.
Rather than treating AI ethics as an abstract topic, the course uses everyday interactions with technology to help learners understand how AI systems can influence these rights.
The initiative also shows the value of involving young people directly in AI education. By contributing translations and reviews, young volunteers were not simply learning about responsible AI; they were helping make that knowledge more accessible to others.
Why this matters for VALUES
For VALUES, this is a strong example of the connection between AI literacy, ethics and active citizenship.
Young people need more than the ability to use AI tools. They also need to understand how these systems can affect individuals and communities, recognise risks such as bias or privacy concerns, and consider whether AI is being used fairly and responsibly.
It also reinforces an important principle behind VALUES: young people should have an active role in shaping discussions about AI, rather than simply adapting to technologies developed around them.
Building AI competence therefore means asking not only “What can AI do?”, but also “How should it be used, and what rights and values should guide it?”
Further reading to original article: UNESCO’s original article, Want to defend human rights in the age of AI? Come make an impact with UNESCO, published on 1 September 2022: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/want-defend-human-rights-age-ai-come-make-impact-unesco