Abstract: AI is becoming a global phenomenon. AI is the extension of digital entities that hyper speeds regular digital processes (Mueller, 2025). Governments are racing to get ahead of the opportunities of AI, and harmful impacts of AI. In this race, various stakeholders are trying to be heard. Historically, youth have been excluded from Internet governance conversations (Tjahja & Potjomkina, 2024). In the space of AI, however, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)—an arm of the United Nations focused on telecommunications and technology policies—has proposed an AI for Good (AI4Good) initiative to allow dialogue on AI. As part of AI4Good, the ITU is further steering youth AI hubs across countries, which are developed and led by youth.

Youth have been an untapped resource in digital governance spaces. Young entrepreneurs have brought innovations to market (e.g., early 2000’s Silicon Valley tech CEOs) (Clark, 2018), but youth as a stakeholder group do not always receive a seat at the table in digital governance. But these youth, have a unique stakeholder view in steering AI given youth will be AI’s long-term users. This Practitioner-in-Residence project will create Canada’s first Youth AI Hub at Wilson College, involving young students to become future AI leaders.

Dana Cramer, Wilson College PiR

References

Clark, D. (2018). Designing an internet. The MIT Press.