Generation AI: fears of ‘social divide’ unless all children learn computing skills

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 Generation AI: Why Every Child Must Learn Computing Skills





Imagine a classroom where a 10-year-old calmly fixes an artificial intelligence model that made a mistake.

That’s exactly what Joseph did in a primary school in Cambridge. His AI was trained to tell the difference between apples and smiles. When the system got confused and identified a fruit as a face, Joseph didn’t panic. He retrained it, corrected the data, and improved the model — all within moments.

For him, this wasn’t magic. It was logic.

Welcome to Generation AI.



Children Are Growing Up as “AI Natives”

Just like earlier generations grew up with airplanes, televisions, or social media, today’s children are growing up surrounded by artificial intelligence.

They talk to chatbots.

They see algorithms choose their videos.
They interact with smart systems daily.

But here’s the problem: using AI is not the same as understanding it.

Experts are warning that unless all children learn computing and AI literacy, society could face a dangerous divide — between those who control AI and those who are controlled by it.



The Risk of a New Social Divide

Philip Colligan, CEO of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, describes a future where society splits into two groups:

  • AI-literate citizens who understand how algorithms work and can challenge automated decisions

  • AI-illiterate citizens who must passively accept decisions they don’t understand

And those decisions won’t just be about music or movies.

Soon, AI systems will influence:

  • Housing approvals

  • Welfare benefits

  • Healthcare decisions

  • Financial loans

  • Criminal justice outcomes

“If you don’t understand how these systems work,” Colligan warns,

“you can’t advocate for your rights.”

That’s a frightening thought.


Why “AI Will Code for Us” Is a Dangerous Idea


Some tech leaders argue that learning to code is becoming unnecessary. After all, AI can now write code, right?

Even political leaders have suggested that traditional computing education is outdated.

But experts strongly disagree.

Simon Peyton Jones, who helped design the UK’s computing curriculum, explains it clearly:

“If AI is just a black box, it feels like magic. And if you don’t understand the magic, you lose agency.”

 

In other words:

  • If you don’t know how AI works

  • You can’t tell when it’s wrong

  • You can’t question it

  • You can’t control it

That’s not empowerment. That’s dependency.



AI Literacy Should Be Like Reading and Writing

Not everyone needs to become a programmer.

But everyone needs to:

  • Understand how AI makes decisions

  • Recognize bias and errors

  • Know when not to trust an algorithm

  • Maintain control over technology.




The Future Depends on Education

AI isn’t going away.

It’s becoming more powerful, faster, and more influential every day.

The real question is:

Will the next generation control AI — or will AI control them?

The answer starts in classrooms, with computing education that empowers every child, not just a few.

Because understanding technology isn’t just a career skill anymore.

It’s a citizenship skill.



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