Recently, at the World Forum on the Future of Democracy, AI and Humankind, 5Rights Chair Baroness Beeban Kidron unveiled the Children & AI Design Code, a bold initiative demanding that AI serve children’s interests, not exploit them.
For too long, AI development has been driven by corporate ambition and short-term economic gain, with little regard for democratic accountability and ensuring sustainable benefits for the next generation. Without meaningful checks and balances, tech companies have free rein to design AI systems that maximise their bottom line, at the expense of children’s rights, safety, agency and mental development. The Children & AI Design Code challenges this imbalance, providing a clear and actionable framework for designing AI with children—and broader societal well-being—in mind.
The Children & AI Design Code does not call for AI to be slowed down; it calls for it to be built and used in full consideration of the impact on children. The Code provides a detailed protocol covering the whole lifecycle of an AI system, setting a clear framework for developers and regulators to ensure responsible innovation.
Built on the expertise of academics, AI professionals, and legal experts, this Code is not just a set of principles: it is a demand for action. 5Rights Foundation calls on tech companies to pro-actively integrate the Children & AI Design Code into their systems and processes, and on legislators and regulators to swiftly embed its provisions into AI legislation and regulation.