The future of science is in responsible hands

The use and ethicality of artificial intelligence emerged as a common anxiety among these 16- and 17-year-olds who were interested in cyberspace, medicine, public health, and biology.

"Is [AI] going to take away jobs or bring more into existence?," Perth's Jacob Lourens asked. The teen was keen to work on AI models and develop them further with language and pictures, all while making sure their use would benefit people.

Emily Farrah, 17, from Kiama was worried about jumping the gun when it came to AI. She wanted to make sure its capabilities were properly understood before the wider population could begin contributing to it.

"You see it happening a lot, using the technology before knowing how far it can go," Farrah said.

She was also passionate about making sure other nations and communities would not be left behind.

"Especially other places around the world who don't have the opportunities that we have ... I hope that we can help them just as much as we can help ourselves," Farrah said.

The group is part of a 250-strong contingent of Year 12 students visiting the ACT as part of the National Youth Science Forum.

The young minds have been privy to special lectures from scientists and tours of facilities including the home of the largest supercomputer in the southern hemisphere.

Haydan Hyunh, 16, from NSW was inspired to hear a lecture about engineers, physicists, chemists and other professionals working together on the CERN particle accelerator.

"The part that has intrigued me the most is working with other people from other professions ... to solve a singular problem," Hyunh said.

His biggest fear was potentially dedicating his entire career to a thesis that could be impossible to prove or solve.

"I personally feel like science is a process of finding out rules about the universe," he said.

Whereas Sarah Bui, 16, from far north Queensland was most looking forward to how healthcare would progress for people in regional and rural Australia.

"I've been very fortunate coming from a regional space myself," she said. "I think I'm most worried about how can I be helpful to Australia and the world."

Seeing women increasingly interested in STEM subjects was what excited Lucy Saul, 17, from Sydney. She said she awaited the new innovations they would help bring about.

Chief executive of the National Youth Science Forum Dr Melanie Bagg proudly said this year's program had seen about 65 per cent female participation.

She also said the program had attracted bright students from remote locations like the Solomon Islands, Darwin and Broome.

"At universities, in industry, and in government, the students have seen what it's like behind the scenes. They've met real STEM professionals with jobs in science and technology, and understood the different ways they can get involved," Dr Bagg said.

"To come here and actually experience some real scientific facilities when perhaps they're the only [STEM student] in either a small country town or the only person in their school even that is interested in going into some area of science, technology or engineering - it's a wonderful opportunity.

"They're really finding their people."

This is the National Youth Science Forum's 40^th year with 15,000 students having completed the program since it first began.