Eight youths from Ġ.F. Abela Junior College, St Aloysius College Sixth Form and St Martin’s Sixth Form recently took part in a debate in Parliament on topics surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications for society and approved resolutions to tackle them.

The event was the climax of an Erasmusplus-funded initiative called the Wired Youth: Science Forum project, that was aimed at promoting political, civic, and social engagement among young people, and culminated in a ‘National Science Forum’ held at the House of Representatives on February 23.

The forum served as a platform for the participating youths to delve into critical scientific issues and contribute to shaping the discourse around AI.

Before the debate, the participants underwent intensive preparation, including participation in four workshops and a bootcamp, all designed to enhance their communication and critical thinking skills.

The forum aimed to empower the participants with knowledge and understanding, fostering a generation of informed and engaged citizens.

The participants formed three committees that focused on AI and education, AI and jobs, and the ethical considerations of AI respectively. Each committee identified prevalent challenges within their respective domain and formulated innovative resolutions to address them, which were presented to the Speaker Anġlu Farrugia and Deputy Speaker David Agius during the debate.

The youths proposed proactive measures such as upskilling and reskilling programmes to address concerns of job displacement

Attendees were invited to vote on resolutions, simulating a real parliamentary debate atmosphere. The resolutions met with a positive reception, with attendees voting favourably, indicating strong support for the proposed solutions.

Attendees were invited to vote on the youths’ resolutions.

The youths proposed proactive measures such as upskilling and reskilling programmes to address concerns of job displacement; they advocated for a balanced approach to AI in education; and championed transparency, fairness, and privacy safeguards, ensuring responsible AI usage.

The resolutions presented during the National Science Forum will be used to formulate a comprehensive policy paper. This paper, to be presented to Parliament, stands as a testament to the importance of youth empowerment. Through initiatives like the Wired Youth: Science Forum project, young individuals are empowered to actively participate in shaping the future of our society.

Speaker Anġlu Farrugia underscored the pivotal role of science in shaping society’s collective future.

In his address to attendees, Farrugia underscored the pivotal role of science in shaping society’s collective future. He reiterated Parliament’s commitment to fostering engagement between science and citizens, emphasising the importance of responsible AI usage and advocating for its ethical deployment for the betterment of humanity.

University academic Gianluca Valentino also addressed the participants.

Gianluca Valentino, an academic at the University of Malta’s Faculty of ICT, and former president of the Malta Chamber of Scientists also addressed the participants. He stressed the importance of evidence-based policy formulation and highlighted the urgent need to increase enrollment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

The project was organised by the Malta Chamber of Scientists in collaboration with Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, Esplora and Science View, and attended by members and employees of these entities, together with others from the Directorate for Digital Literacy and Transversal Skills, and relatives of the participants, among others.