ERYICA presents its Artificial Intelligence Initiative at the UN's first Global Dialogue on AI Governance
2026
ERYICA presents its Artificial Intelligence Initiative at the UN's first Global Dialogue on AI Governance
"No child should be a guinea pig for unregulated AI." With these words, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres captured the spirit of the discussions held during the Geneva Digital Week. Taking place from 6 to 10 July, the event brought together around 4,000 participants, including representatives from governments, UN agencies, technology companies, academia and civil society. ERYICA was represented by Governing Board member Günter Bressau, who attended the UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the week's opening event.
During the event, he presented our agency's Artificial Intelligence Initiative to the UN AI Dialogue Partnerships Hub. This initiative combines the results of the projects AI Youth Work Navigator and youthinfo.ai, with the future ERYICA AI Strategy 2026–2029, which could become the first AI governance framework specifically for the European youth information sector. Apart from being endorsed by the European Commission Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC), the initiative aligns with most of the key topics and opinions that were introduced during the conference.
One of the highlights was the presentation of the Preliminary Report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, the first global, evidence-based scientific assessment of the opportunities and risks associated with artificial intelligence. Produced by a panel of independent scientists and experts from all five UN regions, the report moves beyond broad or abstract discussions of AI risks by categorising them according to their impact on specific areas, including public policy, human rights and education. In this sense, the report represents a valuable primary source for grounding the organisation's AI Strategy in scientific evidence rather than broad assumptions.
Another major milestone was the launch of the Coalition for Children's Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, led by Spain and supported at its launch by 17 countries (including Austria, Estonia, France, Italy and Luxembourg) as well as six UN institutions, including UNICEF and UNESCO. The Coalition follows the UN Secretary-General’s call for an AI Child Safety Pledge focusing on the need for safe testing of AI, the establishment of zero tolerance for the generation of sexual images of children and the presence of human support in AI systems to never leave children in crisis alone. The Coalition also argues that young people's views must meaningfully inform AI system design, deployment, and governance.
For ERYICA, the establishment of this initiative is particularly encouraging as it marks the creation of a formal international framework bringing together governments and key UN institutions around precisely the same target groups and policy priorities that our organisation works to support: young people's digital rights, online safety, and meaningful participation in shaping their digital future.
However, as work in the field of AI international governance continues, it is especially important to note that digital literacy and high-quality youth information are not merely complementary to AI governance but are prerequisites for its effectiveness. This is precisely why the work carried out every day by ERYICA's members and the development of ERYICA's forthcoming AI Strategy are a structural foundation for the rights of young people in the years to come"
Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN | Günter Bressau
Coalition for Children’s Rights and Protection in the Age of Artificial Intelligence | Günter Bressau
