As artificial intelligence continues to reshape daily life — from the apps we scroll to the tools we use for school — it is often presented to young people as seamless, even magical. Essays appear in seconds, images generate instantly, and harmful content seems to vanish before we see it.

Yet beneath this polished surface lies a hidden system. Behind every "automated" response is often a human worker — labeling data, reviewing content, and training the system. Researchers call this invisible labor "ghost work".

For a generation growing up with AI, this raises a defining question: will young people inherit a system built on invisible, precarious labor, or demand something better?

The term "ghost work", coined by US researchers Mary Gray and Siddarth Suri, offers a revealing lens into how artificial intelligence functions. What appears to be autonomous is instead supported by a vast, distributed workforce performing tasks that machines cannot yet handle.

These workers label images for autonomous vehicles, transcribe audio files, and — perhaps most disturbingly — filter violent and sexually explicit content from social media platforms. In doing so, they make digital spaces safer for millions of users, many of whom are young. Yet their labor remains deliberately hidden, preserving the illusion of fully automated systems.

This invisibility becomes more concerning when we consider who might be doing this work — and who might soon enter it. On platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk, workers often face unstable pay, isolation, and algorithmic management. Research by scholars such as Cornelia Evers highlights how these conditions leave workers vulnerable, with little protection or recognition.

For young people, the issue is already part of their reality. As digital work becomes more accessible, teenagers and students seeking flexibility and online income may find themselves on similar platforms — often without fully understanding the risks.

At the same time, much of this labor is outsourced to economically vulnerable regions such as Kenya, Rwanda, and India, raising difficult ethical questions: who is being exposed to harmful content? Under what conditions? And who benefits?

These are not abstract concerns — they are questions about the kind of digital world young people are already part of, and the kind they will shape.

As countries around the world — including China — accelerate their AI ambitions, the conversation is no longer just about innovation, but about responsibility. Increasingly, attention is turning to the human labor behind AI systems and the need to protect it.

For young people, this is more than a policy debate — it is a generational responsibility. Today's students, developers, and first-time job seekers are not just future participants in the AI economy; they are already its users, contributors, and, in some cases, its hidden workforce. This places them in a unique position to question, challenge, and reshape how AI is built.

Youth in action

Change begins with awareness. A new kind of AI literacy is needed — one that goes beyond knowing how to use these tools, and instead asks critical questions: who built this system? Whose labor sustains it? And at what cost? For young people, developing this perspective is the first step toward holding technology accountable.

From there, the challenge is to build differently. Around the world, young innovators are already contributing to open-source AI and public-interest technologies that prioritize social good over short-term profit. These efforts suggest that a different model is possible — one that serves communities rather than exploits them.

Equally important is the role of advocacy. Ensuring dignity in digital labor requires stronger legal protection and greater corporate responsibility. Digital workers — whether in Nairobi, New Delhi, or even students working remotely — must be recognized as essential contributors, entitled to fair wages, mental health support, and protection from harm. Youth voices, when organized and informed, can play a powerful role in driving these changes.

We stand at a crossroads. Will AI continue to rely on invisible labor, benefiting a few while exposing others to harm? Or can a new generation insist on a more transparent, ethical system?

For young people, this is not a distant future — it is already unfolding. The choices they make, the questions they ask, and the standards they demand will shape what AI becomes.

The future of technology will not just be built for them — it will be built by them.

Written by Liang Cao, postdoctoral fellow, department of English language education, and Angel M. Y. Lin, chair professor, language, literacy and social semiotics in education, The Education University of Hong Kong.