Open debate on AI key to preparing next generation, says Doha Debates MD

Doha, Qatar: Open and inclusive discussions on the safety and legitimacy of artificial intelligence are essential to preparing young people for a rapi...

Doha, Qatar: Open and inclusive discussions on the safety and legitimacy of artificial intelligence are essential to preparing young people for a rapidly changing future, according to Managing Director of Qatar Foundation’s Doha Debates, Amjad Atallah.

Atallah said that one of the biggest challenges surrounding AI is that many people are not yet aware of the questions they should be asking. “A lot of times we don’t even recognise the questions that we need to ask because we don’t know what the issues are, we don’t know what’s at stake,” he told The Peninsula.

“That’s why it’s very important to have debates that really flesh these issues out and bring people together.” He noted that Doha Debates is distinctive in the way it bridges generations and experiences by placing students at the start of their academic and professional journeys in conversation with leading global experts.

“We bring together students who are just beginning their careers with experts who are at the top of their field,” Atallah explained. “That intersection of conversation allows both sides to learn from each other.” According to him, these exchanges help experts better understand the concerns of young people, while giving students exposure to complex ideas they may not have encountered before. “It allows the expert to realise what is on the mind of a 20-year-old student and what they’re worried about, and vice versa,” he said, adding that students often come away with a deeper understanding of issues they previously knew little about.