C20 HEARS HOW AI CAN BE LEVERAGED AND FINANCED TO CREATE A SAFE DIGITAL FUTURE FOR CHILDREN

Staff Writer.

• The digital landscape presents unprecedented opportunities for children’s growth, learning, and development, according to the deputy minister of social development, Ganief Hendricks.
• Speaking at the C20 Summit in Gauteng, the deputy minister noted that it also posed significant risks, including exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and cyber exploitation.
• Investing in artificial intelligence-powered content moderation tools and digital literacy programmes is crucial for protecting children online, the deputy minister noted.

The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to finance a safe digital future for children, the deputy minister for Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, told a high-level roundtable at the C20 Social Solutions Summit.

The summit was held on 19 November 2025 in Kempton Park, Gauteng.

C20, part of the 2025 G20 initiative under the presidency of South Africa, aims to ensure world leaders pay attention to the recommendations and demands of organised civil society. The goal is to promote environmental protection, boost social and economic development and ensure human rights.

“The digital landscape presents unprecedented opportunities for children’s growth, learning, and development,” Hendricks said.

However, the deputy minister noted, it also poses significant risks, including exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying, and cyber exploitation.

“Governments, tech companies, and civil society must collaborate to address these challenges and ensure that children can safely navigate the digital world.”

Protecting children online

AI-driven solutions can effectively detect and remove harmful content, identify potential threats, and promote healthy digital habits, Hendricks emphasised, adding: “Investing in AI-powered content moderation tools and digital literacy programmes is crucial for protecting children online.”

He added: “We must prioritise the development of AI solutions tailored to the unique needs of children in diverse contexts in our global village, including those in South Africa.”

Governments and private sector entities must allocate dedicated funding for AI-driven child safety initiatives. Innovative financing models, such as ‘impact investing’ and ‘social impact bonds,’ can mobilise resources for child safety, the deputy minister said.

“Collaboration with partners and knowledge production sharing among stakeholders are essential for effective resource allocation and maximising impact.”

Hendricks urged the G20 member states and tech companies to become ethically mindful and refocus by prioritising investments in AI-driven child safety solutions.

“By redirecting our needs in an ethically oriented manner should in turn push us to work together; doing so to develop and implement policies, guidelines, and technologies that protect children in the digital space.”

To finance a safer future for children in the era of AI, the deputy minister proposed that governments and private sector entities allocate specific budgets for AI-driven child safety initiatives, ensuring sustained investment in this critical area.

Partnerships can drive powerful safety solutions

Public-private partnerships can leverage resources, expertise, and funding to drive impactful child safety solutions.

“Impact investing can prioritise projects that demonstrate potential for positive impact on child safety, fostering innovation and scalability in AI-driven solutions.

“Governments can issue social impact bonds to fund child safety initiatives, with returns tied to measurable outcomes, ensuring accountability and effectiveness.”

Issues under discussion included how international cooperation can facilitate knowledge sharing, best practices, and coordinated efforts to address cross-border challenges in child safety; and how tech companies can integrate child safety into their corporate social responsibility strategies, investing in AI-driven solutions and promoting digital citizenship.

In addition, stakeholders such as foundations and philanthropists can provide critical funding for innovative projects and research in AI-driven child safety, catalysing broader investment.

“By financing a safe digital future, we can ensure that all children have access to the opportunities and benefits of the digital world, and can grow and thrive in a safe and supportive environment,” Deputy Minister Hendricks said.

Several concerns were raised, including:
•⁠ ⁠Online threats to children in the context of AI include exposure to harmful content, such as violent or explicit material, which can have a lasting impact on their emotional and psychological well-being.
•⁠ ⁠Cyberbullying and online harassment are also significant concerns, as they can lead to social isolation and decreased self-esteem.
•⁠ ⁠Online exploitation, including grooming and trafficking, is a serious threat that requires immediate attention and action.
•⁠ ⁠Data privacy breaches and misuse of personal information can compromise children’s safety and security.
•⁠ ⁠Additionally, AI-powered threats, such as deepfakes and AI-generated harmful content, pose a new and evolving challenge.

AI can be used for good

Using AI for good can help mitigate such threats.

AI-powered content moderation tools can detect and remove harmful content, reducing the risk of exposure to children. At the same time, AI-driven digital literacy programmes can educate children about online safety and digital citizenship, empowering them to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.

In addition, AI-powered monitoring systems can identify potential threats and alert authorities, enabling swift action to be taken.

To finance a safe future for children, governments and private sector entities can allocate dedicated funding for AI-driven child safety initiatives. This can include investing in research and development of AI solutions; these would be tailored to the children’s unique needs.

The public-private partnerships can leverage resources, expertise, and funding to drive impactful child safety solutions. Innovative financing models, such as ‘impact investing’ and ‘social impact bonds’, can also mobilise resources for child safety.

“By working together, we can promote digital literacy and online safety education for all stakeholders ranging from children, to parents and caregivers, and to teachers; all of these efforts wish to ensure that all children have access to the opportunities and benefits in this digitalised AI-driven environment,” said Deputy Minister Hendricks.