Reclaiming the (Artificial) Intelligence Age
A Youth Manifesto for Digital Justice at Davos
Most of us will never set foot in the halls of the World Economic Forum in Davos, yet the decisions made there will determine our shared digital fate far beyond the Swiss Alps. We, young people from every continent, echoed by allies of all generations, refuse to accept an “Intelligent Age” built on data exploitation, the suppression of marginalized voices, and the shameless spread of disinformation. We have seen Artificial Intelligence systems reinforce racial and gender biases, labeling Black faces as threats while ignoring the rich identities of Indigenous and trans communities. We have watched social media giants profit from hate speech even as it fuels mental health crises, and we have witnessed how corporations quietly expand surveillance without remorse. In pursuit of short-term power, far-right propaganda thrives online, eroding hard-won democratic guardrails. Women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and people of color endure relentless digital harassment, and countless people in war-torn or impoverished areas remain disconnected, as entire infrastructures are dismantled by conflict or censorship. Meanwhile, massive data centers cast an enormous carbon shadow over a planet already on the brink. Enough.We demand a sweeping transformation in how you, the world’s leaders, devise, regulate, and deploy our digital reality. We insist on truly affordable, meaningful internet access that dismantles divides between North and South, urban and rural - so that no government can flip an off-switch and silence entire populations. We want AI that’s co-created with the very communities who stand to lose the most from its biases, tested by transparent audits, and bound by human rights and equity impact assessments with real teeth. We will not stand idle while data colonialism runs rampant. Where our personal information, especially from those “at the bottom of the data pyramid,” is extracted for private gain. We call for binding global standards that enshrine privacy as a right, not a corporate perk, and demand an end to harmful business models that reward disinformation, embolden far-right extremism, and pit profit against people’s well-being.We demand concrete accountability for tech giants whose platforms glorify hatred and misinformation, whose algorithms relentlessly track us, and whose decisions poison our environment with e-waste and carbon-heavy infrastructure. These corporations must face real consequences if they fail to safeguard user privacy or contribute to ecological devastation. We demand a global framework that actively centers the voices of the historically excluded, women, youth, LGBTQIA+, people of color, Indigenous communities, those in the Global South, whose experiences are routinely sidelined in high-level negotiations. We need massive investment in public digital infrastructure - technology created for collective resilience rather than private profit. We want binding laws that defend our right to speak, protest, and simply exist online without fear of harassment or surveillance. Every AI system, from chatbots to facial recognition, must serve people, not power.If you in Davos cannot muster the courage to carry out these changes, know that we will. Our generation will not remain silent while the digital world, which could unite us, only deepens our fractures. We are forging alliances across borders and identities, repossessing our data from intrusive systems, and raising our voices in every venue, online and offline, until our demands are met. This is not a polite request; it is our unmistakable demand for a just, sustainable, and inclusive digital era. We hold the tools, the vision, and the resolve to reshape these systems from the ground up. Join us in creating a digital age that honors our shared humanity, or step aside as we do it ourselves. History is watching, and we will not be remembered for standing still.With hope and urgency,
Youth of the World** Over 300 young activists worldwide contributed to this manifesto through a collective consultation. Yet we acknowledge that many whose lives are shaped most profoundly by war, poverty, and oppression could not participate. We stand in solidarity with them and pledge that no one will be left behind in the Intelligent Age. This manifesto and consultation were organized by EquiLabs, a youth-led digital rights laboratory dedicated to reshaping data and AI governance for equity and justice.
17 January 2025
