Purpose of the DEMOCR-AI-CY project is an urgent and necessary response to a triple crisis that threatens the very foundations of European democracies, particularly in its relation to the younger generation and democratic vulnerability in the digital age. The public space, now digitized, is increasingly no longer a place for informed and pluralistic debate. It is shaped by opaque algorithms that create “filter bubbles,” intensify polarization, and amplify misinformation. This phenomenon erodes trust in institutions, weakens social cohesion, and makes democratic consent vulnerable to manipulation. Young people, although highly connected, are not immune; they are, on the contrary, a privileged target. Although young people are technically proficient, they often lack the critical skills needed to decode the digital environment. The majority does not understand how recommendation algorithms work, cannot identify a sophisticated deepfake, or verify information systematically. This gap transforms the “digital natives” from potentially active citizens into passive and manipulable content consumers, rather than informed actors in democratic life. Artificial intelligence represents a quantitative leap in these risks. It enables automation and personalization of misinformation on an unprecedented scale. Without a fundamental understanding of its mechanisms and biases, young citizens may feel overwhelmed and powerless, which can lead to cynicism, civic disengagement, and a widening gap between youth and traditional democratic processes. It is no longer merely a matter of media literacy education; it is about forging a new citizenship—a “Critical Digital Citizenship”—capable of navigating, understanding, and acting in a public sphere increasingly dominated by AI. We aim to realize DEMOCR-AI-CY to bring about a paradigm shift: from a youth suffering the impact of AI to a youth that understands, critiques, and shapes it. Our goal is to turn worry into action and passivity into engagement. We believe that young people are not the problem, but the solution. By giving them the tools, space, and confidence they need, they can become resilient ambassadors of European democratic values (freedom of expression, pluralism, respect for human rights) in the digital space. This project aims to equip them to become guardians of a healthy and inclusive digital public sphere. Goals and intended outcomes Our objective is to strengthen the critical digital citizenship of European youths by equipping them against risks of manipulation and misinformation, to support a healthy and inclusive European democracy. We aim to develop, among 28 youths from four countries, core transversal skills for the 21st century, such as critical thinking, digital and media literacy, creativity, and active citizenship. We want to foster more active democratic participation by showing how digital tools can be used constructively and how concerns about AI can be translated into civic action. We seek to promote a shared European identity by building a sustainable network of youths who share the same values and concerns beyond national borders. Specific objectives and deliverables of the DEMOCR-AI-CY project Sensitize and train 28 youths from four countries in central concepts of AI, algorithms, and misinformation mechanisms, and teach them basic fact-checking techniques. Co-create and innovate by producing concrete and accessible resources, notably the DEMOCR-AI-CY Charter and a series of video capsules, which will serve as levers to raise awareness among a broader European youth audience. Empower and engage by establishing a sustainable network of “Young Ambassadors for Digital Democracy” that will continue to promote the charter’s principles and act as critical information multipliers in their communities. Influence the discourse by having the voices of the youth represented in public debates on the ethical regulation of AI, through their productions (charter and videos), aiming to become a visible and audible advocacy for a digital yet safeguarded European democracy.