The EY Foundation is a charitable company registered in England and Wales and Scotland with registered charity number 1157154 and SC045076. It is also a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited
Recent Searches
As the growth of AI’s impact on the future of work accelerates, action is needed to ensure it supports young people from low-income backgrounds to thrive. That’s why the EY Foundation is working with young people from low-income backgrounds and employers to launch an AI Youth Voice project.
This innovative approach is being delivered in partnership with the University of Nottingham, to build and test a model that employers can use to bring youth voice into decisions on how AI is developed and deployed.
As AI advances, the workplace continues to change, and young people from low-income backgrounds are set to be disproportionately impacted by its rollout [1][2]. Yet, many young people are not being actively engaged at scale in how AI is developed and deployed in areas that affect them.
Our AI and Social Mobility report, published in January 2025, outlined why it’s imperative that youth voice should be at the heart of how employers are implementing AI to avoid inequalities being further entrenched.
However, there is potential to harness opportunities to utilise AI for good, and to ensure that young people are a part of this transition.
This summer, to kick off this new project, we will convene a series of workshops with young people and employers to develop a model that can be scaled and used to meaningfully bring young people into conversations affecting the development of AI.
Look out for the final findings and recommendations, which will be published towards the next calendar year, offering actionable guidance on involving young people in shaping the future of AI.
How can you get involved?
If you’re a young person interested in influencing how employers are using AI, or an employer looking to deploy AI in an inclusive way, get in touch to find out more and take part in our workshops.
Lynne Peabody, CEO of the EY Foundation said:
There is so much coverage of what AI means for the future, but the perspective of those it will impact most – young people – is often overlooked. For AI to drive opportunity, especially for those from a low-income background, their voices must be heard. That’s why I’m so excited about the AI Youth Voice project, which will create a framework that supports employers and policymakers embed youth voice in the development and deployment of AI.
Gabriel, digital rep for EY Foundation’s Youth Voice Forum said:
AI is already shaping how young people access education and employment opportunities, yet those most affected are often the least represented in how these systems are designed. Ensuring young people from low-income backgrounds are part of these conversations is critical not just for fairness, but for building systems that genuinely unlock potential rather than reinforcing existing barriers. I’m looking forward to speaking with participants directly, hearing their perspectives, and seeing how those insights shape the outcomes of the project.
Jennifer, digital rep for EY Foundation’s Youth Voice Forum said:
It’s important for young people from low-income backgrounds to be included in conversation around how AI is developed, as AI relies heavily on data, and if this data is not diverse or varied, it could create stigma and bias against them. In addition, young people may feel more inclined to use AI platforms that represent them positively and consider their experiences and circumstances. It also allows them to be great contributors in shaping the future of our society. As for me, I am excited to work with young people and be a part of the campaign which encourages the involvement of young people from low-income backgrounds with new emerging technologies such as AI.
Sarah Doherty, of University of Nottingham and researcher and co-chair of Sprouting Minds said:
If we want AI to serve society, we must include the voices of those it impacts most. Too often, young people are left out of the conversation, despite being among the most affected. This project is about changing that.