Gibraltarian AI student brings professional youth perspective to UNESCO forum

Alexa Tilbury Chang, a Gibraltarian student studying artificial intelligence (AI) at ARU in Cambridge, was invited to UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris to discuss how governments can prepare for rapid social and technological change. 

Ms Tilbury Chang was invited to take part in UNESCO's Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Forum, held during Social Transformations Week, 29 September - 2 October. 

The gathering brought together policymakers, academics, scientists, technology specialists and young people to examine anticipatory governance. 

Discussions centred on how governments and institutions can move beyond responding to crises after they occur and become better equipped to anticipate technological, environmental and societal change. 

AI featured prominently, with participants considering how societies can harness the opportunities of rapidly developing technologies while ensuring that innovation remains responsible, ethical and centred on human needs. 

Ms Tilbury Chang said the invitation gave her the chance to engage directly with issues closely connected to her studies and her emerging career. 

"It was a true privilege to be part of this event," she said. 

"Listening to global leaders debate the future with such passion and urgency reminded me just how important responsible innovation is as an agenda.” 

She contributed to the workshop on human readiness for AI and spoke about creating conditions for youth leadership and added that the forum had underlined the importance of giving younger generations and those working directly with new technologies a voice in policy debates. 

"It felt useful to be able to contribute to these international discussions directly," she said. 

The visit also offered an insight into the international institutions where these debates take place. Alexa described walking through UNESCO headquarters alongside delegations from across the world as one of its most memorable aspects. 

"Beyond the conversations, the day itself was memorable, the atmosphere of international collaboration and the moment of walking past each flag, discovering new ones and appreciating the diversity represented in the room," she said.