The Commission’s second roundtable explored what young people need to think critically about current affairs in an age increasingly shaped by AI, recommendation algorithms and rapidly changing technologies. Co-chaired by Nick Canning, Head of Education at Faculty AI and Commissioner, and Tiffany Smyly, Chief Growth Officer at The Economist Educational Foundation, the discussion brought together experts in AI, cognitive neuroscience, media literacy, democracy education and essential skills.
Contributors included Jamie Bartlett, author of How to Talk to AI, and How to Not; Professor Ann Kristin Glenster, AI in education and research, University of Cambridge; Gaia Marcus, Director of the Ada Lovelace Institute; Dr Heather Collins, Cognitive Neuroscientist, Medical University of South Carolina; Dr Gianfranco Polizzi, Assistant Professor, University of Birmingham; Samrita Menon, Associate Programme Specialist, UNESCO; Harriet Andrews, Director of The Politics Project / Democracy Classroom; Amelia Fairney, Head of Communications, Shout Out UK / APPG Political and Media Literacy; Tom Ravenscroft, CEO of Skills Builder Global; and Paddy Crump, Youth Advisory Board Member at FlippGen.
Commissioners Flora Letanka and Sir Dan Moynihan also joined the discussion.
Key themes from the meeting
1. Critical thinking depends on knowledge
Participants challenged the common assumption that critical thinking is a generic skill that can be taught independently of subject knowledge.
Instead, discussion explored how knowledge, curiosity, questioning and evaluating expertise reinforce one another, suggesting that critical thinking develops through sustained engagement with real-world issues rather than through isolated exercises.
2. AI is changing how young people encounter information
The discussion extended well beyond AI-generated misinformation.
Participants explored how recommendation systems, AI assistants and platform design increasingly shape the information young people encounter, arguing that understanding these systems should become a core part of media literacy rather than a separate area of learning.
3. AI should support thinking, not replace it
One recurring idea was the distinction between using AI as a thinking partner and allowing it to become a substitute for thinking.
Participants explored how AI can strengthen learning by challenging assumptions, prompting reflection and exposing gaps in understanding, while also recognising the risks of over-reliance and “cognitive offloading”. The question, they suggested, is not whether AI belongs in education, but how it is used.
4. Confidence remains central
Despite focusing on AI, the discussion arrived at a familiar conclusion. Whether discussing current affairs or emerging technologies, teachers remain central to helping young people navigate an increasingly complex information environment.
Participants repeatedly returned to the importance of practical frameworks, trusted resources and sustained opportunities for discussion, recognising that confidence develops through practice rather than expertise alone.
The Commission’s third expert roundtable will take place later this summer, before insights from all three discussions are brought together to inform the Commission’s final recommendations.