National Debate Speech & Poetry Competition
Future voices
Our flagship programme, Critical Minds: AI, culminates in a final project (a speech or poem) that can be submitted to our Future Voices competition.
National Speech Competition
Our flagship program, Critical Minds: AI, is a 6-week self-led online course designed to help students aged 11–18 explore the impact of artificial intelligence on their future.
It teaches them to question deeply, think ethically, and use creativity to help make sense of the post-AI world.
The programme its curated around the reading of the upcoming YA Novel, The Dawn of AI.
Their final project—a speech or a poem—can then be submitted to the Future Voices Competition, giving young people the opportunity to share their ideas with a national audience and influence real conversations about the future.
Empowering the next generation of
Thinkers Leaders Innovators World Changers
Critical Minds: AI Programme
Final project outline
For the final project of our Critical Minds Program, you will write and perform either a Debate Speech or a Poem about the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI governance.
Outstanding entries will be submitted to the Future Voices: National AI Debate & Poetry Competition, where winners will attend an event and deliver their speeches in front of real decision-makers.
Project Goals
- Research and choose an AI topic that inspires or concerns you.
- Develop a clear argument or message using evidence and creativity.
- Use emotion, logic, and imagination to persuade or move your audience.
Topic Ideas
- Young People: Should schools be required to teach about AI? Should children use AI chatbots?
- Healthcare: Should doctors and hospitals be required to use AI, given its benefits?
- Work & Economy: How should governments and schools adapt to joblessness?
- Climate Action: Is AI good for the planet or bad for the planet?
- Governance: Should AI companies be more regulated by the government?
- Information & Media: Should deepfakes be illegal? Should AI generated content be always labelled?
- ASI: Should ASI be created or should it be outlawed? Should creating it be paused? Until when?
- Post-humanism: Should we transfer minds into machines or put chips into brains?
Debate Speech focus
○ Convince an audience that your vision for AI is the right one.
○ State your stance clearly (for or against).
○ Use facts, examples, and rhetorical devices to persuade.
○ End with a strong call to action — what should we do next?
poetry focus
○ Make the audience feel the power, promise, danger, and nuance around the future of AI.
○ Use imagery and emotion to show what AI means to you.
○ Experiment with rhythm, structure, and voice.
○ End with a message or emotional impact.
