In recent months, the debate on artificial intelligence has begun to shift in tone. It is no longer just about innovation or new tools, but about a deeper transformation that affects how we learn, work, and assign value to skills.

Among the most relevant contributions to the international debate, one metaphor stands out as particularly effective in interpreting this moment: that of “technological adolescence”, proposed by Dario Amodei — CEO of Anthropic and one of the leading voices on the societal implications of artificial intelligence — in his essay “The Adolescence of Technology – Confronting and Overcoming the Risks of Powerful AI”.

As in human adolescence, we are going through a phase in which capabilities and power are growing rapidly, but not always at the same pace as awareness. Technologies evolve, spread and become increasingly accessible — yet the way we understand, govern and integrate them into our social systems is still under construction.

This imbalance may be the defining feature of our time.

In the coming years, artificial intelligence could reach levels of capability that radically transform entire sectors: from scientific research to healthcare, to decision-making processes within organisations. This will not be a linear change, but a systemic acceleration, capable of reshaping timelines, roles and priorities.

In this context, the key question is no longer whether change will happen, but how we are preparing to navigate it.

Beyond technology: a social and European challenge

When we talk about artificial intelligence, there is a risk of reducing everything to a purely technical dimension. In reality, the issue is deeply social.

Who will have access to the skills needed to use these technologies?
Who will be able to shape and direct them?
And who, instead, risks being left behind?

If not addressed, this dynamic could widen existing inequalities, creating an increasing gap between those who understand and govern change and those who remain at its margins.

For Europe, this is a central challenge.

Not only because it concerns competitiveness, but because it directly touches the principles on which the European model is built: equity, inclusion and social cohesion. In this sense, technological transformation cannot be separated from a reflection on education systems, the quality of opportunities and access to skills.

Work is changing — but above all, its meaning

One of the most significant effects of this transformation concerns work.

Not simply in terms of jobs that emerge or disappear, but in how work itself is perceived and valued.

As Amodei suggests, a growing number of tasks may be performed — or supported — by intelligent systems. As a result, human work is set to change not only in its forms, but in its deeper meaning.

The value of individuals will no longer be linked exclusively to productivity or the ability to generate output.

This opens up a broader, and still largely unexplored, question: which skills will remain truly central?

Increasingly, we see the importance of dimensions that are difficult to automate:

• the ability to interpret complex contexts

• critical thinking

• the quality of relationships

• awareness of one’s role

In other words, the future of work seems to be moving towards a deeper integration between technical skills and the human dimension.

Preparing does not mean chasing, but understanding

In such a dynamic context, the risk is to react in a fragmented way: adopting tools without understanding them, following trends without a clear direction.

Preparing, instead, means something different.

It means developing:

• a critical understanding of artificial intelligence and its limits

• the ability to integrate new tools into work processes in a conscious way

• transversal skills that enable adaptation to evolving contexts

This type of preparation concerns not only individuals, but also organisations, education systems and European networks.

A space of shared responsibility

“Technological adolescence” is not a neutral phase. It is a space of opportunity, but also of responsibility.

The choices made today — in education, public policy, and models of collaboration between universities, companies and organisations — will shape the kind of society we will live in over the coming years.

For this reason, it is increasingly important to build contexts in which:

• technologies are understood, not just used

• skills are accessible, not exclusive

• opportunities are distributed, not concentrated

The role of EuGen: preparing, together

In this context, we feel an increasing responsibility: not just to observe change, but to actively prepare for it.

In recent years, through our daily work with students, universities and host organisations, these transformations have become increasingly visible. The questions emerging from mobility programmes, traineeships and training activities are no longer only about what to learn, but increasingly about how to navigate a rapidly changing environment.

Some of these reflections also emerge through collaboration with partners active in applied artificial intelligence, such as Recomb, with whom we are exploring the role of AI in educational and professional contexts.

This means working on multiple levels:

• strengthening the quality of mobility and traineeship experiences as real learning environments

• developing training pathways that integrate digital, transversal and European competences

• supporting students and young professionals in understanding ongoing transformations

In recent months, through new initiatives, we have been working to build concrete responses to these challenges, keeping a clear principle at the centre: technology has value only if it contributes to people’s growth and to the quality of their opportunities.

Looking ahead, with awareness

We may not yet be able to predict precisely how the relationship between artificial intelligence, work and society will evolve.

But one thing is already clear: this will not be a slow transition.

For this reason, the goal is not to wait for change to stabilise, but to start building the tools, skills and vision needed to navigate it.

Adolescence, by definition, is a phase of transition.
And like any transition, it requires attention, orientation and the ability to make choices.

At the European level.
And, above all, in the pathways we are building today.

For those who wish to explore the topic further, we recommend the essay that inspired this reflection: The Adolescence of Technology – Confronting and Overcoming the Risks of Powerful AI by Dario Amodei.

In this context, developing the right skills becomes essential. In a related article, we explore how these competences can be built in practice.