Warning about artificial intelligence and children's rights from French President Macron in New York

Macron attended the meeting of the coalition on children's rights and protection of children in the age of artificial intelligence, on the margins of the 81st General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in New York, USA.

Speaking at the meeting, Macron noted that for the first time in history, technologies that can speak, respond, and imitate signs of interest or love are at the center of children's education.

"In recent years, we allowed social media (platforms) to entrench themselves in the personal space of our young people, until they took up too much space," Macron said. He said and stated that he thanked the President of the European Union (EU) Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, for announcing a new regulation to protect children from these platforms.

Pointing out that they needed 10 years to reach this point, Macron continued as follows:

"For 10 years, we have allowed our children and adolescents to develop in a system that we barely know and that even we are discovering ourselves. It did not surprise us that they were continuing their sensory and cognitive development in something that we did not know if it was designed for them. Now it turns out that it was not designed for them."

"Artificial intelligence is here and already in our children's lives."

Macron stated that the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2025, implemented by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), show that learning and reading skills have decreased due to the excessive use of social media platforms, and pointed out that young people spend 4-5 hours a day on these platforms, depending on the country.

Pointing out that there is an increase in mental health and obesity problems, Macron argued that this situation is connected to the platforms.

"Artificial intelligence is here and already in the lives of our children," Macron said. He argued that artificial intelligence has an impact on children's development.

Stating that they do not want to make the same mistakes in artificial intelligence as they did with the platforms, Macron said that artificial intelligence models should be examined to better protect children.

Macron stated that the main purpose of the coalition is that no artificial intelligence model should be given to children without being tested, examined and approved, and that they want to establish an artificial intelligence governance based on children's rights.

Macron, who wants researchers to observe artificial intelligence systems, understand their development and produce solutions according to different languages, cultures and educational levels, noted that they held this meeting to bring together the necessary facilities for the first experiments.

Expressing his expectation for more concrete solutions to be created during the peace forum to be held in Paris in November, Macron said, "An artificial intelligence, while in the hands of our children, should be required to prove the benefits claimed by its supplier and to allow independent assessment of risks according to age, type of use and context." he said.