Our Mission & Why It Matters

The Safe AI For Children Alliance is dedicated to shaping a safer future for children in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Our mission is to protect children from the risks posed by artificial intelligence, inspire a future generation equipped to ensure advanced AI systems align with human well-being, and contribute meaningfully to societal efforts addressing AI challenges.

Each aspect of our mission addresses critical challenges impacting children, families, and society, combining immediate action with a long-term vision.

By proactively addressing near-term risks, we also lay essential groundwork for preventing large-scale AI failures in the future.

Here are the key objectives that guide our work and why they matter:

1. Shield Children from Immediate AI Risks

What This Means

  • Address pressing concerns such as inappropriate content, manipulation, and exploitation enabled by AI technologies.
  • Advocate for robust safeguards, including age-appropriate design standards, parental controls, and educational programmes that incorporate societal and ethical considerations.
  • Create frameworks that help children engage with AI responsibly and safely.

Why This Matters

  • Children are especially vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation in the digital age, where AI can amplify risks.
  • Safeguarding children’s well-being not only protects them but also fosters a stable and ethical digital environment.
  • Addressing short-term risks lays the foundation for children to thrive in a future where technology is both empowering and safe.

2. Raise Awareness Among Parents, Educators, and Policymakers

What This Means

  • Equip parents, educators, and policymakers with tools and knowledge to guide children safely through an AI-driven world.
  • Provide accessible resources and foster open conversations about AI’s risks and impacts, including biased algorithms, content manipulation, and the erosion of trust in democratic institutions.
  • Advocate for responsible governance and regulatory frameworks that prioritise fairness, safety, and ethical AI development.

Why This Matters

  • Parents and educators play a critical role in shaping how children interact with AI. Empowering them with the right tools enhances children’s protection.
  • Building a community that supports responsible governance contributes to a societal framework that prioritizes ethical principles and child safety.
  • This dual focus addresses immediate concerns while setting the stage for AI development that aligns with human values.

3. Build a Knowledgeable and Ethical Future Talent Pool

What This Means

  • Inspire and prepare the next generation to understand the technical, ethical, and societal dimensions of AI.
  • Embed broad AI education, including societal and ethical considerations, into early learning to foster critical engagement with technology.
  • Avoid over-reliance on AI tools in fields like computer science, ensuring students develop genuine technical skills and a deep understanding of AI’s implications.

Why This Matters

  • As AI becomes increasingly complex and influential, the risks of unregulated or unethical development grow.
  • A knowledgeable and ethically driven talent pool is essential to prevent catastrophic outcomes, such as runaway AI systems or societal destabilisation.
  • By investing in the next generation, we create a legacy of responsible AI development that safeguards the future for all.

4. Contribute to Broader Societal Efforts

What This Means

  • Highlight the interconnectedness of near-term risks and long-term challenges posed by AI.
  • Advocate for collaborative solutions that ensure AI serves the best interests of humanity and safeguards future generations.
  • Support other organisation's promotion of awareness of catastrophic risks from advanced AI systems and the need for global cooperation in addressing them.
  • Emphasise the importance of responsible AI use and governance as part of these efforts.

Why This Matters

  • Addressing both immediate and long-term AI risks is essential to creating a safer and more ethical world.
  • Protecting children today helps build a generation equipped to tackle future challenges, ensuring that advanced AI systems align with human values and societal well-being.
  • Collaborative efforts can prevent catastrophic outcomes and create a foundation for AI development that benefits everyone.

You can read about how we've incorporated our mission into our year-one strategy here:

STRATEGY

SAIFCA Statement on Existential Risks from AI

The Safe AI for Children Alliance (SAIFCA) acknowledges the potential for catastrophic and extinction-level outcomes from advanced future AI. While SAIFCA is focused on addressing near-term risks to children from AI and some longer-term societal risks that will impact children, we support the efforts of those who are focused on raising awareness about these broader challenges.

SAIFCA Director, Tara Steele, while also focused primarily on risks to children, also conducts independent work to increase understanding of catastrophic risks from AI, complementing the Alliance’s mission. For more information on this work, please visit Tara's website.

You can read the Centre for AI Safety statement on mitigating extinction risks from AI here.

Join Us in Making a Difference

By working together, we can protect children and shape a future where AI supports rather than endangers human well-being.

If you'd like to support us in our mission, you can sign up for news and updates about how you can get involved below.