AI in Education: The impact on the next generation

What kind of childhood are we designing in the age of AI? This talk examines how generative AI is reshaping the cognitive, emotional, and ethical development of young people, often faster than our frameworks for safeguarding, pedagogy, or policy can keep pace. From algorithmic companions to predictive learning tools, children are not just using AI, they are being shaped by it. Drawing on current research and educational literature, this talk explores the risks of epistemic outsourcing, emotional simulation, identity distortion, and ambient AI exposure. It also asks deeper questions: What happens when fluency replaces understanding? When convenience is mistaken for care? And when innovation moves faster than consent? Rather than framing young people as digital natives, this talk argues for a more nuanced view: one that recognises children as developmental beings navigating complex, asymmetrical systems. It calls for a reframing of AI literacy, not just as a skillset, but as a safeguarding imperative.