About Tara Steele

Tara Steele is the Founder and Director of the Safe AI for Children Alliance (SAIFCA) - an international initiative dedicated to protecting children’s safety and wellbeing as artificial intelligence becomes more present in their lives.

Tara founded SAIFCA to help ensure that children’s needs are not overlooked in the development, deployment and governance of increasingly advanced AI systems. She leads the organisation’s strategy, policy and public engagement, working with researchers, educators, child-safety professionals, policymakers and other organisations to strengthen protections for children and promote a more responsible approach to AI.

Her work focuses on the ways AI may affect children’s safety, development and relationships, including the risks associated with AI companions and emotional dependency, AI-generated child sexual abuse material, harmful chatbot interactions and the increasing mediation of childhood by AI. Alongside addressing immediate harms, she advocates for safety by design and for children’s long-term interests and futures to be considered as AI capabilities continue to develop.

Tara is a Council Member of the International Association for Safe and Ethical AI (IASEAI), having been elected for a second term in 2026, and co-chairs its Working Group on AI Safety for Children. Her work at IASEAI reflects her commitment to bridging different communities within safe and ethical AI, in pursuit of the best possible outcomes for children.

Through SAIFCA, she has contributed to discussions on children’s AI safety in UK Parliament and at international forums, including at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and regularly speaks and writes on the implications of AI for children and society.

Before founding SAIFCA, Tara spent 13 years working as an Intelligence Officer in UK law enforcement. This background informs her approach to emerging risks, particularly the importance of anticipating how new technologies may be misused rather than waiting for harms to become widespread. She holds a First-Class degree in Law and certifications in AI governance, ethics and safety.

Tara has also served as Vice-Chair of the governing board of a large UK primary school. Her experience in intelligence, law, education governance and parenting contributes to SAIFCA’s approach - connecting high-level questions about AI development and regulation with the realities of children’s everyday lives.

In 2025, Tara was recognised as one of the ASU+GSV Leading Women in AI.

“Protecting children today plays a vital role in shaping a safer AI future for everyone.”

You can follow Tara’s work on LinkedIn .