AWS students convince at UN Conference: AI between opportunities and dangers!

AWS students convince at UN Conference: AI between opportunities and dangers!

On March 29, 2025, students from the Alfred Wegen School (AWS) traveled to New York in Kirchhain to take part in a youth conference at the United Nations International School (Unis). This event has been taking place for 20 years, and the topic of this year's conference was "artificial intelligence" (AI) with a focus on opportunities, potential and dangers. The conference took place in the impressive General Assembly Hall of the United Nations, a place that certainly impressed the students.

Twelve students of the eleventh grade were selected to represent their school, accompanied by the teachers Bettina Bachmann and Philipp Vestweber. The AWS was one of only two German schools that took part in this international exchange. Helena Hauer (17) and Paul Schurich (16) were enthusiastic about the new knowledge they could collect during the conference.

artificial intelligence in focus

An impressive lecture came from Armean Hariharan, a student of the university who presented a AI program for a financial overview. In addition to technical aspects, the role of AI in social media was also discussed. UN civil servant Melissa Fleming vividly spoke about her perspective on the effects of artificial intelligence on the mental health of young people. In this context, a tragic example of a chat with AI was mentioned that led to a suicide.

Statistics shows that people use artificial intelligence an average of 120 times a day - for example through streaming services and shopping platforms. Philipp Vestweber emphasized the need that people keep control of the AI ​​and not vice versa. The exchange with students from all over the world was also an important part of the conference, with the AWS students presenting a video about their homeland, which met with great interest internationally.

insight into the effects on mental health

The discussion about the use of artificial intelligence extends over many areas, especially also through mental health. According to a report on thoughts, AI could offer innovative solutions to improve mental health. AI has been used in healthcare for years to better understand mental disorders. However, bioethical aspects must also be regulated, while technology progresses faster than our biological understanding.

Some of the practical applications of AI in mental health that were emphasized during pandemic include bots for researching and prevention of depression and preventing loneliness in older people. AI analyzes large amounts of data with high accuracy and could contribute to the early detection of mental illnesses and to reduce suicide rates. However, it is also emphasized that AI is not intended to replace psychologists, but to act as valuable support.

teacher Bettina Bachmann noticed a tense mood among the young people, which could partly be due to the current political situation. Nevertheless, the positive record of the experience in New York remained, which, in addition to participating in the conference, also included three days of sightseeing.

Thanks to the sponsors, especially the school and Sparda-Bank, who have financially supported this extraordinary experience.