When we think about progress, we often fail to realize that not everyone reaches it in the same way.
A portion of young people does not use artificial intelligence because they cannot or do not know how to, perhaps due to a lack of devices, stable internet connections, or basic digital skills.
This is known as the digital divide, and today it no longer concerns only access to the internet, but also the ability to use complex tools such as AI.
A young person who does not have a device or a stable connection may already start at a disadvantage; if misinformation about this new digital reality is added, they may even become intimidated by it. The risk is that technology, instead of reducing inequalities, could actually deepen them.
This is why research is so important: so that we can understand its various aspects and find a way—and a world—in which AI becomes a tool capable of bridging the divide rather than widening it.
Author: Ms Maria Lagani, psychology graduate- Master’s student. Research Team for JUMP staff.