Generative AI (GenAI) has clear potential in low-risk contexts—such as enhancing productivity, supporting research, and aiding professional workflows. Where it can serve as a powerful, time-saving tool.
But this begins to change dramatically when we enter high-risk arenas, particularly education, where minors are involved and formative learning, trust, and their rights need safeguarding. Any steps must be firmly anchored in the rule of law, regulatory compliance, and rigorous oversight—not wishful thinking or classical rhetoric.
The “OpenAI for Greece” rollout: groundbreaking or reckless?
On 5 September 2025, the Greek government formally inked a Memorandum of Understanding with OpenAI to pilot ChatGPT Edu in 20 secondary schools, alongside an AI-accelerator program for local startups.
In promotional remarks, OpenAI’s Chris Lehane evoked Greece’s legacy as the cradle of Western thought, citing “from Plato’s Academy to Aristotle’s Lyceum” as justification for introducing this untested tool into public education.
While the classical references are symbolic, they cannot substitute for the due diligence required when children’s development is involved.
Accountability, transparency, and children’s rights
Greece is a party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Article 12 obliges states to consult children, meaningfully consider their views when policies affect them, and conduct Child Rights Impact Assessments (CRIA). Before deploying GenAI in schools, the state should have conducted and published:
- A clear Child Rights Impact Assessment.
- A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) under GDPR.
- Transparent information about participation rights, oversight, and grievance mechanisms for parents, students, and educators.
However, until the time I write this article, we have seen no evidence of this crucial documentation.