Pont-Audemer, a slight town in Normandy, France, is becoming an unlikely focal point in a growing conversation about artificial intelligence and its impact on the next generation. In March, students at Lycée Risle-Seine participated in a workshop designed to foster critical thinking around AI tools, a proactive step as these technologies become increasingly integrated into daily life. The initiative, led by school librarian Josse Quaghebeur and journalist Kiara Debernard of Brief Science, aimed to move beyond simply using AI to understanding its underlying mechanisms and potential consequences. This early engagement with responsible AI practices is becoming increasingly vital as students navigate a world shaped by algorithms and machine learning.
The workshop, held on March 20, 2026, brought together approximately sixty students from the final year of their secondary education. Before the session, students completed a survey detailing their current use of AI, revealing a widespread adoption of tools like ChatGPT, My AI, and Gemini. According to the survey results, Copilot and Le Chat (developed by French company Mistral AI) rounded out the top five most frequently used platforms. Students reported utilizing these tools multiple times a week for tasks ranging from homework assistance and image creation to general information gathering. This reliance highlights both the accessibility and perceived utility of AI among young people.
Understanding the Landscape of Artificial Intelligence
Debernard’s presentation, “Comprendre et questionner l’intelligence artificielle” (Understanding and Questioning Artificial Intelligence), focused on demystifying the technology. She explained that the AI systems students were already using fall into several key categories: recognition systems (like Shazam for music identification), predictive systems (such as Spotify’s recommendations or weather forecasts), and generative systems (like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Mistral AI’s Le Chat) which emerged around 2022. These systems, Debernard emphasized, aren’t magical; they are complex computer programs designed to mimic human cognitive abilities – recognizing patterns, translating languages, and solving problems – by analyzing vast datasets and calculating probabilities.
“The goal is to have your own critical mind in order to use them in the best way possible, being fully aware of what exists behind them,” Debernard stated, as reported by local news outlet Actu.fr. She explained that creating these AI systems requires significant resources: skilled engineers and researchers, massive amounts of data for training, powerful servers for processing, and energy-intensive data centers. The environmental impact of these data centers, with their substantial electricity, water, and rare earth mineral consumption, is a growing concern.
The Data Behind the Algorithms
A crucial point Debernard made was that AI learns from the data it’s fed. These programs don’t possess lived experience; instead, they identify frequent associations within the enormous volume of data generated by humans online. For example, the AI might consistently link the word “fish” with “ocean” because that association appears frequently across the internet. Yet, Debernard cautioned that algorithms can also perpetuate biases present in the data, potentially reflecting societal prejudices like racism or homophobia.
She warned students that AI isn’t a neutral source of truth. “It’s not the absolute truth, nor is it a human talking to you behind the screen, and certainly not a friend,” she explained. “An AI program doesn’t sense or feel. It only generates words that are probable to appear one after another based on the context given by the question.” This underscores the importance of verifying information obtained from AI tools and approaching their outputs with a healthy dose of skepticism.
AI and the Future of Work
The workshop also addressed the potential impact of AI on the job market. According to a report by the International Labour Organization, the primary effect of generative AI won’t be mass job displacement, but rather job transformation. AI is increasingly viewed as a collaborative tool that can enhance productivity across a range of professions, including those in creative and engineering fields. However, the ILO estimates that approximately 3.3% of global employment is at risk of complete displacement due to automation of highly repetitive administrative tasks.
The report highlights that jobs traditionally held by women, particularly in office administration, are disproportionately vulnerable. Conversely, AI is already demonstrating significant potential in fields like medicine, assisting with tasks such as converting spoken consultations into structured medical text, aiding in diagnosis based on images or symptoms, and even designing recent molecules. However, Debernard and Quaghebeur emphasized that AI will not replace doctors or other healthcare professionals, but rather augment their capabilities.
Navigating the Risks and Ethical Considerations
The French Ministry of National Education recognized the necessitate for guidance and published a framework for the official use of AI in education in June 2025. This framework aims to mitigate risks related to ethics (addressing bias, stereotypes, and discrimination), reliability (acknowledging the potential for “hallucinations” – inaccurate or fabricated responses), environmental impact (recognizing the energy consumption of AI requests), and data privacy. The framework provides educators with guidelines for integrating AI tools responsibly into the classroom.
Quaghebeur emphasized the importance of proactive education. “The AI day was organized precisely to avoid repeating the mistakes made with previous technologies – browsers, search engines, smartphones, or social networks,” he said. “We are already behind on this subject. It is essential to train students to avoid the installation of bad habits, cyberbullying, privacy violations, and mechanisms of influence. This goes beyond course content; it’s civic education.”
The initiative at Lycée Risle-Seine represents a growing awareness of the need to equip students with the skills and knowledge to navigate an increasingly AI-driven world. The next step, according to Quaghebeur, is to integrate these lessons more deeply into the curriculum, offering specialized instruction and fostering a culture of critical engagement with these powerful technologies.
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