Opening Remarks by Mr. James George at the 2026 World Youth Development Forum

June 16, 2026

Male presenter at a podium on stage with a purple backdrop reading Wuhan, China. — UNDP China Resident Representative a.i., James George, Delivering His Opening Remarks at the 2026 World Youth Development Forum

UNDP China

Mr. Fang Yi, Vice President, All-China Youth Federation,

Mr. Dai Xiaochu, Deputy Director, ILO Country Office for China and Mongolia

Mr. Ahmed Bening Wiisichong, Secretary-General, Pan African Youth Union

Ms. Zhou Xiaoqi, Vice Chairperson, Wuhan Municipal Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference

Mr. You Zheng, Deputy-General Manager, Dongfeng Motor Corporation

Esteemed youth leaders and champions of the global Sustainable Development Goals from around the world,

Ladies, and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon!

On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in China, I am honoured to welcome you to this very exciting Thematic Forum on Artificial Intelligence and Youth Empowerment.

We gather at a defining moment in history.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a concept of the future or science fiction.

It is the reality of our present, fundamentally reshaping how we live, work, and interact.

As we race toward the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – our global blueprint to safeguard people and the planet – we recognise that AI holds unprecedented potential to accelerate progress on the SDGs.

From improving healthcare and revolutionising education to strengthening disaster forecasting, optimising energy systems, and enhancing public services, AI is opening entirely new possibilities for how we respond to some of humanity’s most pressing challenges.

We will be hearing more on these exciting dimensions this afternoon.

However, as we embrace the potential of AI, we must also acknowledge and address its risks.

If these technologies are not accessible to all, or are built on biased data, they risk widening existing gaps and negatively impacting vulnerable groups.

According to our latest UNDP report The Next Great Divergence, the risks of AI automation are deeply unequal. Let me cite three emerging realities.

First, youth employment is already declining in roles with high AI exposure—especially for those aged 22 to 25.
Second, AI is rapidly taking over many entry-level tasks—the very first steps into the labour market that many young people, especially those from less advantaged backgrounds, depend on.
Third, jobs held by women are nearly twice as exposed to automation as those held by men.

If we do not actively close this digital and gender gap, AI will simply automate the inequalities of yesterday.

Ladies and gentlemen,

AI will only be a force for good if it is inclusive, equitable, and leaves no one behind.

This is the promise at the heart of the United Nations Global Digital Compact, adopted in 2024 as part of the landmark Pact for the Future: that digital transformation must be guided by the public good and harnessed to expand opportunity, dignity, and hope for all.

A defining test of whether we can turn this vision into reality is – ensuring we adequately equip, support and enable young people with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to lead in the careers of tomorrow.

As I look around this room, I am filled with hope, excitement and optimism.

Young people, including all of you present today, are digital natives.

These technologies are second nature to you.

That means you are uniquely positioned not only to use AI, but to shape its future—to steer it toward solutions that are fair, inclusive, and fully aligned with the SDGs.

"Across every challenge—from poverty to climate—young people are not waiting for change; they are leading it, and harnessing AI for good."

UNDP is committed to working alongside you.

We are present in over 170 countries and territories, helping governments build digital ecosystems that are safe, ethical, and inclusive.

As countries weigh the opportunities and risks of AI, UNDP is helping them adopt AI responsibly, shape policies and strategies and implement projects that deliver real results for people and communities.

Through our diagnostic frameworks and AI tools, we are also supporting countries to assess digital readiness and navigate their transformation journeys.

Our mission is simple: to help countries build inclusive digital public infrastructure and ensure that AI is used responsibly, so that no one is left behind.

Let me share a few examples of how we are putting this into action here in China.

Through our Youth Co:Lab programme, UNDP is helping young entrepreneurs turn ideas into action.

Since 2018, we have supported more than 500 youth-led startups in China with mentorship, networks, and acceleration opportunities—many of them already using AI to solve real-world development challenges.

Through our Her Digital Future initiative, in partnership with NGOs and UN Volunteers, UNDP is also expanding opportunity for girls in rural communities.

Since 2023, this initiative has helped more than 5,000 girls in over 90 rural schools build digital skills, explore frontier technologies, and gain the confidence to design solutions for challenges in their own communities.

This is the kind of future UNDP is working to build: one in which young people are not just beneficiaries of technology, but leaders in shaping it for good.

Across every challenge—from poverty to climate—young people are not waiting for change; they are leading it, and harnessing AI for good.

But you cannot do this alone.

To government and business leaders: I urge you to invest in youth not as future employees, but as co-designers of our AI-enabled world.

Create policies that make AI tools accessible to everyone.
Build education systems that teach not only digital skills, but also critical thinking, responsibility, and human judgement.
Ensure that young people—especially young women—have a real voice in shaping how AI is designed, funded, governed and used.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Charting a sustainable trajectory for AI will require collaboration across borders, disciplines, and generations.

Let me thank the World Youth Development Forum for providing this platform and also the All-China Youth Federation and the ILO for co-hosting this Forum with us.

Let me also thank all the partners and speakers who have dedicated themselves to this endeavor.

I hope this afternoon inspires us to see young people not just as participants in the age of AI, but as the leaders who can and will shape a future where technology serves humanity, protects our planet, and expands hope and opportunity for all - everywhere.

I wish the Forum great success.

谢谢