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The United Nations has opened its AI for Good Global Summit with a strong message: the future of artificial intelligence must be shaped by and for young people, especially those solving real-world problems in underserved communities.
Held at Geneva’s Palexpo, the four-day gathering has drawn youth innovators, global tech firms, governments and civil society into a single arena, united by a vision to steer AI toward tackling humanity’s most urgent challenges.
“The biggest risk we face is not AI eliminating the human race. It is the race to embed AI everywhere, without sufficient understanding of what that means for people and our planet,” said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
By Ruvarashe Gora
From the buzzing innovation floor to policy roundtables, the summit places youth-led technology at the forefront. Startups and student teams from the Global South are demonstrating AI tools designed for disaster recovery, healthcare access, waste management and food security.
Among the standout displays: a drone-eDNA system for tracking biodiversity, a self-sanitising mobile toilet, and a robot that helps farmers detect pests and monitor crops autonomously. The spirit of innovation, especially from young creators, has injected fresh urgency into conversations about equitable access and inclusion.
Yet the spotlight on youth contrasts with a troubling global gap: according to an ITU survey, 85% of countries still lack a national AI strategy. This risks deepening inequality, as low-income regions lag behind in regulation and capacity, while wealthier nations surge ahead with unchecked AI deployments.
Health innovation, another youth-led focus, takes centre stage on Wednesday. The World Health Organization (WHO) will host a session on how AI can improve health access in low-resource settings, with case studies from rural triage systems to mobile diagnostic tools, many driven by emerging tech talent.
Platforms like the Innovation Factory and the AI for Good Awards offer young minds rare global visibility. Finalists will be announced Friday, with awards recognizing AI breakthroughs aligned to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Beyond demos, the summit serves as a launchpad for ideas that put people before profits, ensuring young voices are not just heard, but funded, mentored and scaled.
“Let’s never stop putting AI at the service of all people and our planet,” Bogdan-Martin said, reinforcing the summit’s call to action.
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