The Duke of Sussex warned that artificial intelligence could go beyond capturing children’s attention and begin forming powerful emotional connections with them.
Prince Harry delivered an impassioned warning about the potential impact of artificial intelligence on children during an appearance in New York, arguing that rapidly developing AI technology could pose risks that extend beyond those already associated with social media.
Speaking at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting, the Duke of Sussex focused much of his address on the relationship between young people and emerging technology.
Harry described AI as the “ultimate sycophant,” warning that increasingly sophisticated systems could seek not merely to hold a user’s attention, but to become something they trust and confide in.
The issue, he suggested, becomes particularly important when the person interacting with that technology is a child.
Harry Says AI Could Become More Personal Than Social Media
Harry drew a distinction between the dangers he associates with social media and the new challenges presented by artificial intelligence.
While social platforms became extremely effective at competing for people’s attention, he argued that AI could go considerably further by becoming part of users’ personal relationships.
AI companions can remember information shared with them, respond conversationally and potentially become something young users repeatedly turn to for reassurance or advice.
For Harry, that creates a new challenge for parents and society.
He argued that after years spent trying to reduce technology’s grip on children’s attention, the public should not wait another decade to understand what might happen if technology also begins exerting influence over their relationships.
His comments came less than a week after King Charles III separately spoke about potential dangers surrounding AI technology if powerful systems were misused.
The Duke Criticised Technology Companies Over Responsibility
Harry also directed criticism toward companies responsible for developing social media platforms and AI systems.
He argued that technology companies should take greater responsibility for the products they create rather than shifting responsibility onto children and their parents.
During the speech, Harry referred to legal settlements involving alleged harms to children as well as moves by governments to impose restrictions on young people’s access to social media.
But he argued that bans and financial settlements alone would not solve the underlying problem.
In his view, the design of technology itself also needs to be addressed.
Harry’s message was that action should come before another generation experiences harm rather than only after the consequences have become clear.
A Technical Problem Suddenly Interrupted His Speech
The serious address then took an unexpected turn.
Harry’s speech was cut short after approximately seven minutes because of a technical issue involving the teleprompter.
After reaching what appeared to be the end of the available text, the duke paused onstage.
He appeared emotional before eventually indicating that his remarks had unexpectedly come to an end.
A spokesperson later confirmed that there had been a problem with the teleprompter.
But Harry wasn’t finished.
Roughly 40 minutes later, after several other presentations had taken place, he returned to the stage.
This time, he opened with a joke about the interruption, suggesting that AI had somehow managed to get into his speech.
Then he returned to the much more serious message he had been trying to deliver.
Harry Spoke Not Just As A Public Figure — But As A Father
During the second part of his remarks, Harry made the issue personal.
The father of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet said he approached the debate as a parent who had spoken with other families affected by harmful experiences involving technology.
Behind him were images of children who, according to the presentation, had died by suicide or suffered serious harm following experiences connected to social media.
Harry argued that technological innovation should not require society to accept unacceptable risks involving children.
His central warning was one of urgency.
Society, he suggested, had already seen how long it could take to respond to the harmful consequences associated with previous generations of technology.
With artificial intelligence advancing quickly, he argued that there may not be the same amount of time to react.
The Appearance Marked Harry’s First US Trip Since Returning To Britain
Harry’s New York appearance also came during a period of major change for the Sussex family.
After spending six years living in California following their departure from senior royal duties in 2020, Harry, Meghan and their children returned to Britain on August 26.
Archie and Lilibet have since begun attending school in the UK.
Harry then travelled back to the United States for the Clinton Global Initiative gathering, marking his first US trip since the family’s move.
The New York engagement followed several appearances in Britain, including the Invictus Spirit Awards, the launch of an education initiative connected to the Invictus Games and the WellChild Awards.
Meghan did not accompany him to those events or to New York.
Harry’s Warning Focused On What Comes Next
Although much of the public debate around technology has focused on social media, Harry used his appearance to argue that artificial intelligence represents a potentially different challenge.
AI systems are becoming more conversational, more personalised and increasingly capable of remembering details about the people interacting with them.
For adults, those abilities can make the technology useful.
But Harry’s argument centered on what those same characteristics could mean when the user is a child.
Rather than waiting years to understand the consequences, he urged greater scrutiny of how these systems are designed and how companies are held responsible for their effects.
His appearance may have been unexpectedly interrupted by technology itself, but when Harry returned to finish his remarks, his message remained the same:
The rapid development of AI means decisions about protecting children may need to be made before the full consequences become impossible to ignore.
