First Ladies discuss protecting children in the age of artificial intelligence during the G7 Summit

On 17 June, First Ladies and spouses of leaders attending the G7 Summit gathered in Évian-les-Bains, France, for a discussion on protecting children in the age of artificial intelligence. Hosted by First Lady of France Brigitte Macron, the event brought together First Ladies, experts and young people to explore how governments, educators, parents and technology developers can work together to create a safer digital environment for children.

The event, titled Protecting Children in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, took place at Buvette Cachat and featured First Lady of France Brigitte Macron, First Lady of Brazil Janja Lula da Silva, First Lady of Canada Diana Fox Carney, First Lady of Kenya Rachel Ruto, First Lady of the Republic of Korea Kim Hye Kyung, and Lady Victoria Starmer of the United Kingdom, as well as Dr Haiko von der Leyen, husband of the President of the European Commission, and Charlotte Merz, wife of the Chancellor of Germany.

Participants discussed both the opportunities and challenges created by the rapid development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, with particular attention to children’s rights, online safety and digital wellbeing. The programme also included a dialogue with French students, who presented proposals developed during the G7 Youth Forum on strengthening children’s protection in the digital space.

The discussion reflected a broader priority of this year’s G7 Summit. In a joint statement, G7 leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that children and young people can grow, learn and thrive in a digital environment that is safe, age-appropriate and designed with their best interests in mind. The statement emphasises that digital service providers should develop platforms that are safe by design, protect children’s privacy, offer age-appropriate experiences by default and provide parents and caregivers with effective tools to support children’s online activities. It also highlights the importance of digital literacy and calls on governments, technology companies and other stakeholders to prioritise children’s safety, wellbeing and mental health online.

The call was also supported by G7 partner countries — Brazil, Egypt, India, Kenya and the Republic of Korea — underlining the growing international consensus on strengthening the protection of children in the digital environment.

Reflecting on the discussion, First Lady of Kenya Rachel Ruto stressed the importance of shared responsibility:

“As technology continues to shape our societies, governments, educators, parents, and technology developers must work together to ensure that innovation remains people-centred and that children’s rights, wellbeing, and safety are protected.”

Protecting children online has become an increasingly important area of international cooperation among First Ladies and First Gentlemen. In 2024, the Fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen dedicated one of its thematic discussions to Child Safety in Cyberspace, bringing together international experts and partners to explore practical approaches to safeguarding children in the digital age.

The issue has remained high on the international agenda. Earlier this year, First Ladies and First Gentlemen also gathered at the Fostering the Future Together Summit, hosted by First Lady of the United States Melania Trump, where online child protection was one of the central themes. The participation of First Ladies in these initiatives reflects a growing global commitment to ensuring that technological progress advances children’s development while protecting their rights, safety and wellbeing.