AI can help connect the dots for young people - with people at the centre
How can we help more young people stay connected to education and work? That question was at the heart of a discussion organised by the University of Liverpool’s Civic Health Innovation Labs during Labour Party Conference. UKAI was pleased to be invited to contribute to the conversation.
As Chair of the Independent Review on Young People and Work, Rt Hon Alan Milburn highlighted how young people’s experiences cross the boundaries between health, education, employment and family support. The discussion, chaired by Professor Iain Buchan, also heard from Professor Richard Black, Provost of the University of Liverpool, and Hannah Davies, Chief Executive of the Northern Health Science Alliance and Executive Director of Health Equity North.
At the discussion, it was suggested that carefully governed data and AI tools could help public services identify emerging needs earlier, build a fuller picture of the barriers facing young people and coordinate support across organisational boundaries.
But technology alone cannot solve fragmented services. An alert or prediction only has value if a trusted professional can respond with timely, appropriate help. That means investing in the workforce, giving local leaders the resources and authority to act, and making sure systems work together around the needs of individuals and families.
Responsible use of data must also earn public trust. People need to understand how information is used, what safeguards are in place and how they can have a voice in decisions. Transparency, accountability, and meaningful public involvement should be built into the design and deployment of AI from the outset.
The challenge now is to ensure the suggestions discussed at the meeting and in Milburn's report help young people to remain engaged in education, move into work, and access support before difficulties become entrenched. That will require sustained collaboration between government, local services, communities, researchers, and the UK’s AI sector.
