At the Swiss Economic Forum (SEF) on June 8 and 9 in Interlaken, UNICEF presents the works of artists envisioning a positive future for children, generated with the help of AI.
The future starts today. At the Swiss Economic Forum (SEF) on June 8 and 9 in Interlaken, UNICEF presents visions of the future by 12 artists. Commissioned by UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein to create works using artificial intelligence (IA), the results reveal new perspectives on the future. These ideas stir interest in a tomorrow where children grow up healthy, safe, and with access to education. Because whatever the future holds, it will need strong children.
UNICEF has been committed to using new technologies to improve children’s lives for over 75 years. These include the Giga project to connect every school to the Internet, or UNICEF’s “Innocenti” research center in Florence, Italy. AI is currently a hot topic. Its applications will have many effects on children and young people. It offers opportunities, but also comes with risks. As a visualization tool in the hands of artists, AI can open up new visual perspectives for the entire world.
Under the motto “Make.Future.Happen”, UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein commissioned twelve creative artists to explore their visions for a future where children grow up healthy and safe and have access to quality education. The results – innovative, surprising and powerful – inspire and arouse interest and reflection, and open up new visual perspectives.
“With this campaign, UNICEF once again proves how progressive the brand is. AI will have an effect on the future of all children. With these artistic, AI-generated works, UNICEF shows at the SEF how it is a pioneer and partner to policymakers from the business world. Our goal is to work together to make a better future for children. In short: Make. Future. Happen.”
Marc Uricher, Head of Digital & Media
These designs represent UNICEF at the SEF. Starting May 30, 22 different perspectives will be displayed on posters in Interlaken. Each is expressly labeled as being designed using AI. A larger selection with more background information can be found at unicef.ch/sef.
Children’s rights and AI. Nine recommendations by UNICEF
Artificial intelligence also comes with risks: UNICEF has developed nine recommendations for protecting, promoting and listening to children and young people in the development, implementation and use of AI systems. UNICEF has also published a statement here for businesses, authorities and governments about the involvement of children and young people in connection with AI. These guidelines are based on a child-centered approach anchored in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Swiss Economic Forum (SEF)
The 25th Swiss Economic Forum (SEF), Switzerland’s leading economic conference, will be held on June 8 and 9, 2023. For a quarter century, over 1,000 leaders from the worlds of business, science, politics and media have met annually in Interlaken for active exchange and dialog across industries. For this special milestone, the SEF will be celebrating the hidden champions of the Swiss business world under the motto “Make it happen.” Swiss SMEs are an important driver of the country’s business and are facing myriad challenges. The SEF provides a platform for discussing these topics, exchanging ideas and finding solutions.
