At the Republikon Institute's "M.I. a helyzet? – Hungary in the age of artificial intelligence" season-opening conference on Friday at the A38 ship in Budapest, Science and Technology Minister Tanács Zoltán said the government wants to build a digital state where artificial intelligence is used knowledgeably and prudently. He argued the state's role is not to collect data about everyone, but to ensure citizens can meaningfully control their own data and decide what to share and with whom.
Tanács warned that leading AI labs predict a rapid surge in capabilities in the coming years, creating more serious challenges than today. Because of this, he said, leaders carry significant responsibility in setting examples and in how they use these systems. He added that aligning and fixing various state systems so they operate transparently, securely and in a user-friendly way will require substantial background work and "does not happen overnight."
Education: thinking, critical skills and questioning must come before AI
Kósa Mónika, a lawyer, Montessori teacher and school founder, argued in her talk that children do not need artificial intelligence to become prepared for the AI era. She emphasized that children must learn how human thought works, a mental effort that cannot be skipped even in the age of AI. According to her, Montessori pedagogy aims to prepare children to be active shapers of society and their own lives; AI may be part of that society today and in the future, but how and when it is introduced matters.
Kósa cited recent research indicating that the most important skills for using AI responsibly are the ability to ask good questions, construct arguments and perform critical checks — in other words, thinking itself. She noted that thinking is learned not in front of a screen but through activities such as debates, project work and deep reading, and therefore AI introduction should be tailored to children's developmental stages.
Horváth Ádám, ministerial adviser at the Ministry of Education and Child Affairs, said the forthcoming education strategy will emphasize strengthening those human competencies in early childhood that enable appropriate use of digital technologies. He underlined the need to invest first and foremost in well-trained teachers and in their modern in-service training.
PISA findings: reading comprehension shortfalls hinder responsible AI use
Based on PISA results presented at the conference, experts pointed out that around 60 percent of Hungarian students complete school without reaching the reading comprehension level needed for responsible AI use. They described this as worrying because critical reading and comprehension are fundamental for verifying sources and reliably using AI applications.
Corporate and scientific perspectives
Rékasi Tibor, CEO of Magyar Telekom, discussed the use and potential future of AI in large corporate systems. Psychologist Mérő László emphasized that different problems require different AI systems, underlining the need for diverse and targeted solutions.
Participants concluded that integrating AI into society is a complex task requiring technical development, regulatory and ethical frameworks, and reinforcement of education and teachers.
Cover photo credit: MTI Photo / Kovács Márton
Tags: education, artificial intelligence, PISA, digitalisation, Tanács Zoltán, Kósa Mónika, Horváth Ádám, Rékasi Tibor, Mérő László
