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 French President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of the 'Coalition for the Rights and Protection of the Child in the Artificial Intelligence Era' during his address at the United Nations General Assembly, urging early international action to safeguard minors amid the rapid proliferation of AI technologies.

Macron stressed that the international community must act before the technology's impacts become too complex. He warned against repeating what he described as a delayed response to social media platforms, a lapse that resulted in significant, ongoing challenges for children and youth.

The newly formed coalition aims to foster international cooperation on child rights in light of the growing ubiquity of AI tools. It will address the potential risks these technologies pose to minors and establish core principles and policies to harness the benefits of tech while mitigating its adverse effects.

**Preemptive Action on Tech Proliferation**
Macron emphasized that governing AI requires preemptive action at an early stage, rather than waiting for problems to surface and attempting to address them only after the technology has achieved widespread adoption.

The French initiative arrives as international scrutiny intensifies over AI's impact on children—particularly with the explosion of generative AI across education, communication, and entertainment. This surge has sparked critical debates surrounding privacy, safety, and age-appropriate content.

Ultimately, the new coalition firmly places the protection of children's rights in the AI era on the global agenda, striving to enhance coordination among governments, international institutions, tech stakeholders, and child advocacy groups.