Religious, philosophical, and child-rights groups are set to convene in Brussels to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming well-being, isolation, and digital risk.
The European Parliament is organizing an Article 17 TFEU dialogue seminar on June 9, 2026, focusing on health and well-being in the AI era. This event will bring together faith communities, secular groups, child-rights advocates, and EU officials to discuss loneliness, youth vulnerability, digital fairness, and fundamental rights.
Scheduled from 15:00 to 18:30 in the Parliament’s Spinelli building in Brussels, the meeting is hosted by Antonella Sberna, Vice-President of the European Parliament and responsible for the Article 17 dialogue. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Commissioner Magnus Brunner, and representatives from the Cyprus presidency team and the European Commission are expected to join the opening session.
Titled “Health and well-being in the age of artificial intelligence: communities tackling isolation and digital risks,” the seminar intersects two dynamic European discussions: AI regulation and the social impact of digital lives.
Article 17 TFEU mandates open, transparent, and regular dialogue between EU institutions and religious, philosophical, and non-confessional groups. This format often addresses public policy issues involving conscience, social cohesion, and fundamental rights.
The focus is now on artificial intelligence. A public invitation from COMECE states that the event will explore AI’s effects on health and well-being, particularly loneliness, social isolation, and digital risks.
The program features three panels: the first discusses “digital fairness by design,” with speakers from Catholic, humanist, Muslim, Buddhist, and Orthodox-linked organizations. The second addresses young people in digital environments, featuring Eurochild, YMCA Europe, UNICEF, and Don Bosco International among the participants. The final panel covers AI, health, and fundamental rights, with contributions from Jewish, secular, Protestant, and other representatives.
The European Parliament’s research service has indicated AI’s clear healthcare benefits, including improved diagnostics, risk prediction, and personalized treatment. However, its briefing on health and well-being in the AI age also highlights risks like misinformation, over-reliance on AI chatbots, emotional dependency, privacy violations, and the potential for companion technologies to exacerbate isolation.
These concerns are particularly relevant for children, older adults, and vulnerable users. For young people, the issue extends beyond screen time or exposure to harmful content to include how digital systems influence attention, trust, identity, and emotional development. For older adults, AI tools may aid remote care and independent living but could replace human contact if not properly safeguarded.
The Parliament seminar comes as Europe seeks to turn broad principles into practical oversight. The EU AI Act, effective since 2024, established a risk-based framework to protect health, safety, and fundamental rights while fostering innovation. The Article 17 dialogue adds another dimension: whether regulation alone can address the social and ethical questions raised by AI systems in care, education, family life, and public services.
The involvement of religious and philosophical organizations underscores the recognition that digital policy is not merely technical. Community institutions often engage directly with individuals facing loneliness, bereavement, poverty, disability, migration stress, or mental health challenges. They may also detect early signs of harm when online environments exacerbate isolation or when people seek automated advice that requires human judgment.
The dialogue format also presents a democratic challenge. A credible Article 17 process must include both confessional and non-confessional perspectives, avoid privileging any single worldview, and maintain a focus on rights, dignity, and evidence. In a diverse Europe, AI and well-being questions cannot be resolved solely by engineers, companies, or regulators. Input from those working with affected communities is essential.
While the Brussels seminar is unlikely to conclude Europe’s AI health debate, it could clarify a core principle reflected in the Parliament’s research and the EU’s regulatory stance: technology should complement, not replace, care. As AI systems become more pervasive in daily life, Europe faces the challenge of ensuring that efficiency does not undermine human connection.
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