Building on the relationship between statistical literacy and quality, this presentation examines the vital role of human judgment and critical thinking in AI-assisted information search or decision making. The session shares a practical pedagogical experience from the Public Statistics discipline designed for future statisticians at ENCE/IBGE (the National School of Statistical Sciences of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics). Through a storytelling approach, students explore real-world incidents where AI and data-driven technologies fail, highlighting the critical nature of access to reliable information. This classroom initiative resulted in a student-produced podcast series disseminated across ENCE’s social media platforms, serving as an innovative tool for statistical communication, public engagement, and data literacy. The presentation connects these insights to broader systemic challenges. While automated tools promise broader access to information, technology-mediated access often creates new divisions and misleads users. Drawing alignment with the UN's Global Digital Compact as a framework for a fair and equitable digital environment, the session emphasizes reconnecting users directly with trusted, official sources—specifically the rigorous data produced by National Statistical Offices. Ultimately, statistical literacy is presented as a shared governance responsibility among statistical institutes, educators, tech developers, and citizens to harness AI while preserving critical thinking and public trust.
