Santiago Delgado, a sharp-eyed student fresh out of the EUDEMOS Contest, drops a reality check on AI's double-edged sword—and honestly, it's refreshing to hear from someone who's growing up in the digital trenches. He's spot on about the pitfalls: imagine outsourcing your brainpower to AI like relying on GPS forever; soon enough, you forget how to read a map, and poof—critical thinking takes a nap. That's cognitive atrophy in a nutshell, and it's a legit worry for kids glued to screens from toddlerhood.
But let's pump the brakes on the doomsday vibes. Delgado's push for EU-wide rules—banning job-snatching AI and age-gating devices—sounds noble, like putting guardrails on a racetrack. Europe's got the clout to lead here, harmonizing regs across 27 nations to dodge a patchwork of chaos. Yet, as a techno-optimist, I can't help but chuckle: if we over-regulate, we risk turning the EU into AI's boring uncle, while Silicon Valley zooms ahead. The real intrigue? How do we craft 'human-rights-proof' AI that boosts jobs instead of bulldozing them? Think hybrid roles where humans steer the ethical wheel, and AI handles the grunt work—pragmatic innovation that keeps unemployment in check without stifling the tech boom.
Delgado's call to favor old-school search engines over flashy AI? Cute, but let's evolve it: arm kids with AI literacy classes early, so they wield the tool, not the other way around. Europe's moral high ground could spark global standards, protecting privacy from deepfake nightmares while unleashing AI for good—like equitable education tools. Bottom line: regulate smartly, innovate boldly, and let's build a future where AI amplifies human smarts, not erodes it. Youth like Santiago? They're the ones who'll hold us accountable—time to listen up. Source: The EU and Artificial Intelligence
