Italian
Anna Maria Tarantola at the Centesimus Annus Foundation conference: “Technology and artificial intelligence need to be guided, not simply accepted. School and family working together to protect the new generations.”
ROME – In the era of artificial intelligence and pervasive technologies, there is a growing urgency to educate young people on the conscious and critical use of digital tools. This is the appeal launched by Anna Maria Tarantola (who has a background as deputy director general of the Bank of Italy, president of RAI, and president of the Centesimus Annus – Pro Pontifice Foundation), a leading figure in the economic and social field, who spoke at the international conference promoted by the Centesimus Annus – Pro Pontifice Foundation, recently held in Rome.
“Today, young people are early and frequent users of digital tools, including those based on artificial intelligence. However, Tarantola warns that they often do so without awareness, placing blind trust in technology that exposes them to concrete risks, both in terms of security and mental and relational health.”
Recent data confirm the alarm: sleep disturbances, increasing anxiety, social isolation, and decreased attention are growing phenomena among hyperconnected adolescents. But Tarantola warns against simplistic solutions: «Prohibiting does not help. Educating does».
The proposal: a new educational pact
According to Tarantola, the key to facing this challenge is a new alliance between school and family, focusing on the education and guidance of young people. “The school must be at the forefront, but it needs well-prepared and updated teachers. You can’t teach digital ethics if those educating do not know the tools.”
Equally important is the role of parents, who are often disoriented in the face of a technological world that evolves faster than their skills. “Training paths are also needed for families, so they can truly be an active part of the educational process.”
Technology yes, but with rules and responsibility
Tarantola also denounces a gap in the regulatory framework: “Laws exist, but too often they remain a dead letter. Controls and a real application are lacking. It is urgent to update the regulations to keep pace with innovation.”
And he calls out the big tech companies, accusing them of having abandoned – under recent political and market pressures – the minimum ethical responsibility they had begun to cultivate. “Dialogue with AI producers is crucial, but today it’s becoming increasingly difficult. Yet, without their collaboration, every effort runs the risk of being thwarted.”
A challenge that concerns everyone
In concluding his speech, Tarantola calls for collective mobilization: “The digital challenge is primarily educational and cultural. We can no longer postpone. We must take care of our young people even in this new world. And do it together, as a community.”
A strong and clear message, which resonated particularly strongly among the conference participants, emphasizing the need for a change of pace in how we approach the era of artificial intelligence: not as spectators, but as aware and responsible protagonists.
