Gen(Z)AI | Forum Report: AI & Chatbots

Executive Summary

This report summarizes the first chapter of Gen(Z)AI's national process, a first-of-its-kind Youth Assembly on AI bringing 100 young Canadians aged 17-23 together to help shape the future of AI in Canada, jointly led by the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy and the Dialogue on Technology Project, in partnership with Mila, Quebec's AI Institute. The first forum, held in Toronto, Ontario on November 7-9, 2025, focused on AI chatbots, the most widely used AI tool among young Canadians: 73% of young adults report having used AI for school or work in 2025, up from 59% in 2024, while 72% of teens have used AI for personal companionship, with over half being regular users.

Through expert briefings, interactive workshops, and deliberative policymaking sessions, participants reached a strong consensus that young Canadians are dissatisfied with the status quo and believe AI chatbots need to be regulated. They identified three main issues of concern: emotional dependence that exacerbates social isolation and contributes to mental health issues; cognitive offloading and loss of critical thinking skills that jeopardizes users' ability to learn, work, and engage in civic discourse; and potential exposure to harmful content, including sexually explicit, extremist, and/or self-harm content.

In response, participants surfaced three categories of policy mechanisms: reactive mechanisms providing resources and recourse when harms occur; design and system change mechanisms addressing problematic design features before harms occur; and participatory and literacy-building mechanisms supporting user agency, empowerment, and transparency. These recommendations will be shared with thousands of other young Canadians via Make.org's civic dialogue platform, with three further forums (on information integrity, data privacy, and age assurance) and a final report due in May 2026, when finalized recommendations will be presented to policymakers in Ottawa.