EU plans 'AI literacy' certificates for schoolchildren

The European Union said Thursday it plans to start piloting an "AI literacy" certificate for schoolchildren, as part of efforts to address the impact of the fast-developing technology on education.

"It will help young pupils understand how AI works, check what it tells them, spot manipulation, and know when to switch off," said European Commission vice president Roxana Minzatu.

Brussels said it would look to launch the new certificate for 15-year-old learners for the 2027/2028 school year.

The move comes as teachers and pupils around the world are grappling with the impact of artificial intelligence in the classrooms.

The EU -- which does not control the educational policies of its 27 member states -- is already backing efforts looking at how to safely deploy AI to teach children.

At the same time, Brussels is pushing legislation to curb access to social media for young teenagers.

Minzatu insisted the two initiatives were not contradictory.

"AI has the potential of really amplifying certain educational processes: tutoring, personalized learning," she said.

"Those are ways to use technology and AI that have nothing to do with the addictive algorithms of platforms."