Designing Social AI to Help Youth Flourish

October 14, 2025
Webb Library, Jesus College, University of Cambridge

(may be cool to make this look Cambridge-y?)

Co-hosted by HumanConnections.ai (a program of Noēsis Collaborative) and the University of Cambridge’s Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence, this invitation-only convening will unite senior policy leaders, funders, leading researchers, technology innovators, and civil society strategists from across the UK, US, and EU to shape the future of youth-facing AI governance.

Why Attend

This convening offers a rare opportunity to address one of the most urgent policy challenges of our time: How might we design policies for AI chatbots that advance youth wellbeing?

In a closed-door, Chatham House–style Salon (30–50 participants) followed by a public fireside chat, senior leaders from policy, research, industry, and civil society will:

  • UK, EU, and US policy circles are actively seeking credible guidance on AI and youth.

  • Social AI is already shaping how young people think, feel, and relate, with minimal oversight.

  • There is growing legal, financial, and reputational risk tied to potential harms.

  • The research community and industry have a unique opportunity to shape global, voluntary standards for safe and ethical youth-facing AI.

Confirmed Speakers

Henry Shevlin – University of Cambridge
Ron Ivey – Harvard / Noēsis Collaborative
Ravi Iyer – USC
Julianne Holt-Lunstad – Neuroscientist, global authority on social connection
Jonathan Teubner – Harvard AI & Flourishing
Andrew McStay – IEEE
David Hsu – Omidyar Network

Questions? jennifer@noesiscollaborative.org
Attendance is by invitation only and limited to 50 participants.

Organizers & Sponsors (logo parade?)

Reports and Resources

Designing AI to Help Children Flourish
Current AI governance frameworks often overlook the developmental needs and rights of children, failing to ensure that AI technologies foster human flourishing rather than cause harm. This paper argues that AI companies have both an opportunity and a responsibility to prioritize child well-being by designing chatbots that enhance, rather than replace, human relationships. 

Social AI and Human Connections: Benefits, Risks and Social Impact
Drawing on a review of recent literature, expert interviews, a Salon with leading technologists and scholars, and webinars with Social AI researchers, the paper explores the question: How might we design AI systems for social connectedness and human flourishing?