Resilience Forum: Building Estonia's Next Chapter in the Age of AI

Author:
Anne-Marie Riitsaar
Lead Volunteer Organizer of the Resilience Forum
 

One of the most moving moments of the Resilience Forum, at least for me, came unexpectedly. When I asked whether anyone in the audience had stood in the Baltic Way in August 1989, I was deeply moved to see more than twenty hands rise across the room. They belonged not only to Estonians, but also to Latvians and Lithuanians. Almost instinctively, the room broke into applause. For a brief moment, thirty-seven years seemed to disappear. I was no longer looking at an audience, but at people with whom, as a child, I had once formed a human chain stretching 600 kilometers across three countries in a peaceful demonstration of our shared longing for freedom. 

It was impossible not to reflect on what had united us then, and what should unite us now. The struggle for freedom has not ended. It has evolved. Today, democratic societies continue to face conventional military threats, but they must also contend with hybrid warfare, information manipulation, and the profound opportunities and risks brought by artificial intelligence (AI). Increasingly, safeguarding democracy is not only about protecting our borders. It is also about strengthening our cognitive resilience: our ability to distinguish fact from fiction, to think critically, to make informed decisions, and to maintain trust in one another and in our democratic institutions.

These questions brought more than 150 participants together in San Francisco for the Resilience Forum: Cultivating Resilience in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, held on 26 June 2026 as part of the 36th West Coast Estonian Days. The discussions explored how democratic societies can harness AI to strengthen both education and information integrity, rather than allowing it to undermine them.

One message resonated throughout the Forum: if democratic societies can no longer agree on facts, they will struggle to solve any of the complex challenges they face. Information integrity is not simply about technology. It is about preserving a shared factual foundation that allows societies to deliberate, make decisions and build consensus. The discussions therefore focused less on detecting misinformation after it appears and more on cultivating the habits of mind that make manipulation less effective in the first place.

During her keynote address, Estonia's Minister of Education and Research, Kristina Kallas, argued that education systems must increasingly move beyond memorisation and place greater emphasis on analysing, evaluating and creating. As AI becomes part of everyday life, these higher-order thinking skills are no longer simply educational objectives. They are becoming essential democratic competencies. 

She also highlighted a significant policy challenge: while schools provide an opportunity to cultivate these skills among younger generations, governments have far fewer opportunities to reach adults who have already completed their formal education. This reinforces the importance of developing analytical thinking habits early in life, before patterns of information consumption become firmly established.

One proposal discussed during the Forum offers one possible way forward. Participants explored the idea of developing Information Analysis and Evaluation as a dedicated subject introduced from the earliest years of compulsory education and continuing throughout secondary school. Rather than existing in isolation, it would reinforce learning across the entire curriculum by helping students develop the habit of critically evaluating information wherever they encounter it. Whether they are studying history, literature, science or current affairs, they would learn how to question sources, distinguish evidence from opinion, recognize manipulation and continually reassess information as new evidence emerges.

In the age of AI, this may require educators with a different combination of skills than traditional subject teaching alone provides, drawing on expertise from fields such as investigative journalism, open-source intelligence, and digital forensics. The goal would not simply be to teach students how to identify misinformation, but to equip them with the habits of mind needed to navigate an increasingly complex information environment throughout their lives.

What made these discussions especially encouraging was that Estonia is not simply following global developments. In several areas, it is already helping shape them. For example, OpenAI noted that Estonia became one of its founding government partners in developing its Education for Countries initiative, demonstrating how lessons learned in Estonia are already informing educational partnerships internationally. 

Estonia is uniquely positioned to serve as a living laboratory for developing and validating new approaches to democratic resilience in the age of AI. Its compact size, nationwide AI Leap initiative, world-class public education system and centrally coordinated education policy create conditions that few countries can replicate. Successful approaches developed and tested in Estonia can then be adapted by other democratic societies facing similar challenges. 

In many ways, this reflects the broader vision behind the European Democracy Shield: strengthening democratic resilience by developing practical approaches that can be tested, refined and shared across Europe. At the same time, as OpenAI’s experience demonstrates, the lessons learned in Estonia have the potential to benefit democratic societies far beyond Europe's borders.

This naturally raises a broader question: if Estonia has earned international recognition for its education system, digital governance and its innovative approach to integrating AI into education, how do we ensure that this momentum continues?

Part of the answer emerged during the Forum's morning session, “Baltic Startups in the Age of Agentic AI.” Together, the morning and afternoon sessions painted a broader picture. Preparing societies for the age of agentic AI is not only about educating future generations or supporting innovative startups. It also requires creating the partnerships and institutions that allow new ideas to flourish.

There is a reason these conversations took place in San Francisco. Today, it is far more than one of the world's leading technology centers. It is where many of the ideas, partnerships and investments shaping the future of AI are born. The relationships built here will influence not only technological innovation, but also the values, norms and institutions that accompany it.

For that reason, I believe the time has come to think seriously about establishing a permanent Estonian, or perhaps even Baltic, innovation hub in Silicon Valley. 

Not as a consulate. Not as a single trade representative. And not simply as another cultural center. Rather, it could become a permanent platform where entrepreneurship, research, investment and cultural diplomacy come together to create new opportunities that strengthen Estonia's long-term economic resilience. It could help startups find mentors and investors, strengthen collaboration between universities and technology companies, support researchers and students, attract foreign investment to Estonia and the wider Baltic region, and provide a welcoming meeting place for Estonians, both at home and abroad, while showcasing our culture, values and entrepreneurial spirit.

The exact model deserves further discussion. It could take the form of a public-private partnership, a self-sustaining foundation or another long-term structure capable of supporting a permanent presence. What matters most is that it is built to last. The pace of technological innovation is simply too great to rely indefinitely on the extraordinary commitment of diaspora volunteers alongside their full-time jobs and family responsibilities, however dedicated they may be. 

I hope this article serves not as the conclusion of that conversation, but as its beginning. I would welcome the opportunity to continue it with entrepreneurs, investors, educators, researchers, philanthropists, policymakers and members of the Estonian community, both at home and abroad, who share this vision.

The Resilience Forum itself demonstrated what is possible through volunteer leadership and the generous support of our headline sponsors, the Kistler-Ritso Foundation, Stanford University Libraries and Vabamu. Together with our speakers, moderators, partners and volunteers, they helped create a platform where new ideas, new partnerships and new opportunities could emerge. For the full program and list of participants alongside their contact details, please visit the West Coast Estonian Days website.

Minister Kallas perhaps captured the spirit of the Forum best when she reflected:

"Estonia as a nation is just as big as the number of people in Estonia and abroad who actively create the meanings for Estonia... Resilience Forum was one of the events, the platforms to create this meaning of Estonia, what it carries within, what it gives to the world, what it creates."

I cannot think of a better description of what we tried to achieve.

Thirty-seven years ago, the Baltic Way showed the world that when the Baltic nations think boldly and act together, ideas that seem impossible can reshape history. The challenges we face today are different, but they call for the same qualities: imagination, collaboration and the courage to look beyond the horizon.

If Estonia wants to remain a trusted voice in the age of AI, we must continue investing in education, innovation and international partnerships. Above all, we must continue creating places where ideas become action, partnerships become lasting friendships and today’s conversations become tomorrow’s opportunities.