As artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies increasingly mediate how people access, interpret, and communicate information, statistical literacy remains essential for informed decision-making and democratic participation. However, the ability to evaluate statistical evidence critically depends not only on knowledge and skills, but also on individuals’ capacity to navigate increasingly complex and demanding digital environments. This presentation explores how international statistical literacy initiatives can support critical engagement with data while acknowledging the relationship between digital technology use, psychological wellbeing, and responsible AI use. The presentation highlights the International Statistical Literacy Project (ISLP), whose origins lie in the International Statistical Institute’s early efforts to promote quantitative and statistical skills and whose activities continue under the International Association for Statistical Education. Through initiatives such as the ISLP Best Cooperative Award, the International Day of Statistical Literacy, and the International Poster Competition, the project demonstrates how collaborative, accessible, and engaging approaches can foster statistical understanding across diverse communities, with particular attention to young people. Against the backdrop of AI-generated information and increasingly automated analytical processes, the presentation considers the opportunities that digital tools offer for statistical learning, data communication, and public engagement, alongside risks involving misinformation, bias, opacity, and uncritical reliance on automated outputs. It further examines digital wellbeing as a relevant dimension of statistical literacy: digital overload, platform fatigue, and reduced confidence may constrain individuals’ willingness or capacity to question information and assess statistical claims. From this perspective, supporting statistical literacy requires more than providing access to data and digital tools; it also requires fostering the confidence, autonomy, and critical awareness needed to evaluate their outputs. By connecting the ISLP’s international activities with questions of AI, digital wellbeing, and civic participation, the presentation advocates an inclusive and human-centred approach to statistical literacy. It argues for educational initiatives that combine statistical, data, and critical literacy with an awareness of the conditions under which people engage with digital information, helping learners and citizens make informed judgements in an increasingly AI-mediated society.
