Youth, AI, and Digital Literacy: Building Resilient Generations Against Climate Crises and Information Disorders

Abstract

As climatic disasters are increasing and fake news spread more and faster with the help of AI, the resilience of young individuals, in addition to access to information, is also based on their digital literacy. The article examines the connection between AI-specific digital literacy and the capacity of university students in Pakistan to counteract misinformation about climate change. The study quantitatively surveys 400 students in four provinces, in three dimensions, including functional, critical, and AI-awareness measures of digital literacy and analyzes their predictive value on the resilience to misinformation. Surprisingly, the results demonstrate that digital literacy and misinformation resilience have no statistically significant relationship with each other. Although the level of digital proficiency was moderate among students, the digital abilities failed to translate to strong ability to assess and dismiss climate misinformation. The findings indicate that resilience is not just determined by the technical know-how that it takes trust, context, motivation, and civic awareness. This paper presents the drawbacks of existing digital literacy models and proposes the incorporation of AI media literacy, participatory communication habits, and local fact-checking devices. The policymakers and educators should not only create digitally literate but also critically empowered youth who will be able to negotiate more complex information disorders and create a climate-literate society. With the growing climate changes and the growing wave of misinformation facilitated by AI, it is evident that the capacity of the young people to survive depends not only on their access to information, but also on their skill in navigating the Internet. This research investigates how AI and digital literacy affects university students in Pakistan and their ability to contend with climate misinformation. Four hundred students in four provinces participated in a quantitative survey which assessed digital literacy in three areas: functional skills, critical thinking and understanding of AI and its relation to their resistance to misinformation. To our surprise there was no relationship between any measure of digital literacy and resistance to climate misinformation. Students overall reported a modest level of digital skills, but their confidence did not match their ability to evaluate/discount climate misinformation. This indicates that resilience is beyond competence, and relies on trust, context, motivation, and civic engagement. This study demonstrates the gaps in current digital literacy purpose, highlights the need for AI media literacy, engaging communication strategies, and localized relevant fact-checking