AI is everywhere, whether you’re aware of it or not. It’s behind the suggestions you see, the content you interact with and even the technology you use daily. As it becomes a bigger part of our world, it’s essential to understand how AI works and how it can impact you. Here are 3 important things every young person should know before you dive deeper into the AI-driven world.
1. AI isn’t neutral: it can be biased
AI isn’t always fair. The algorithms that “understand” us are trained with real-world data, and that data can be full of biases. This means that what AI decides for you might be influenced by preconceived ideas that aren’t always right or fair.
What can you do? Always think about why AI is showing you something. Ask yourself if that recommendation is truly for you, or if it’s biased by data you can’t see.
2. Knowing how to use AI will be a key skill for your future
Even if you don’t use AI all the time today, in the future, it will be part of everything you do. Knowing how AI works and how to use it will give you a huge advantage at work, school, and even daily life.
Why does it matter? In the future, many jobs will rely on AI. Learning about it now will help you be ready for whatever comes next.
3. AI can influence what you believe or how you act
Algorithms decide what you see in your feed, often pushing certain ideas or perspectives to the forefront. This means AI can subtly influence how you think, what you believe and even how you act.
What can you do? Be critical of what you’re exposed to online. Ask yourself if the information you’re getting is complete, or if it’s being filtered to guide you in a certain direction. The more aware you are of this, the better you’ll be at making informed choices about what to believe and how to act.
By understanding how AI works and how it affects us, we can make better, more informed choices about how we interact with it. The more we learn about AI, the more we can shape its impact on our future and ensure it’s used ethically and responsibly.
