The EY Foundation is a charitable company registered in England and Wales and Scotland with registered charity number 1157154 and SC045076. It is also a member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited
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We can shape AI to enhance human potential and drive social mobility.
Through collaboration and purposeful participation, we can cement AI as a catalyst for positive change, to create a future where all young people, regardless of background, can thrive.
Our new report responds to a gap in current responsible AI considerations, by focusing on the specific impact of AI on social mobility. We set out the opportunities, how to mitigate risks, and the importance of placing young people at the heart of developments in this technology.
With the rise in use of AI in 2025, the imperative for this paper and further research into AI’s impact on social mobility couldn’t be greater. Once AI enables personalized learning for all, the only thing left is to teach students how to wield the technology for their individual success; that’s why I’m thrilled to be part of EYF and excited for the world to see this paper.
The potential for AI to be a force for good in expanding opportunity remains untapped. EY Foundation's report offers further insights into the value of this prospective new market for innovation. The Social Mobility Commission looks forward to working with EYF to explore exciting new possibilities as part of its next steps on #InnovationGeneration.
Young people are the future of work, and of our society. As we go through this technological transformation, it is vital that young people – from whatever background they are from – are able to use these extraordinary new tools to build a fairer future of better work. This timely and pioneering report gets right to the heart of what the issues are in this space – and how we need to work together to go about finding inclusive and engaging solutions to them.
The ground rules shaping how AI develops are being established now and for those focused on supporting sections of society currently overlooked and left behind, this is a moment to take the action needed to unlock opportunity for all. To do this effectively we must engage with communities directly impacted by how AI is implemented.
Next steps:
In addition to the development of a model for young people participation, as detailed in the paper, we will be taking two immediate next steps in response to the insights captured:
- Undertaking intrinsic motivation research with the Institute for the Future of Work
- Launching an AI and social mobility grand challenge, a purpose-driven competition to identify how AI can unlock opportunities and outcomes for young people from low-income backgrounds
Get in touch to find out more.