AI and youth safety: Opportunity, risk, and responsibility

Led by Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, this session will explore how schools, households, and communities can responsibly engage with emerging AI technologies without creating additional risk or deepening existing harm to young people.

The discussion will look at the applications already shaping young people’s environments, including generative AI platforms that influence peer dynamics and content creation, machine learning models used to flag concerning behavioral patterns, and automated content moderation systems designed to detect threats or harmful interactions online. With US Secret Service research indicating that the vast majority of school attackers showed observable warning behaviors prior to an incident, the conversation will examine how AI might strengthen early identification and intervention while maintaining necessary safeguards around privacy, bias, and surveillance.

LGrounded in evidence-based approaches to violence prevention, the session will consider how these technologies can complement human-centered strategies that build empathy, connection, and trusted reporting structures among students. Panelists will address real-world tradeoffs, including questions about accountability and ethical deployment on platforms. By bringing together a range of perspectives, the discussion aims to offer practical insight into how AI can be integrated into existing safety frameworks in ways that enhance prevention efforts while supporting healthier, more resilient communities as the technology continues to evolve.