Human rights and the governance of artificial intelligence

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is bound to enable innovation in the decades to come, so much so that some say it has become the new electricity.1 However, if that truly is the case, then policymakers, business and civil society must understand what the opportunities and challenges are before they turn the switch on. AI enthusiasts forecast that such technologies could improve societal well-being, increase productivity and even provide solutions for global climate and health crises. AI could also help fight human rights abuses. Nonetheless, AI presents a variety of challenges that can profoundly affect the respect for and protection of human rights. • Recently, a profusion of initiatives from a variety of actors spanning from the technology industry to international and regional organizations, academia and civil society, have focused on establishing ethical frameworks for the design and implementation of AI solutions. While these valuable initiatives propose to identify core ethical principles applicable to AI, ethics is only one aspect to be taken into consideration. International Human Rights Law (IHRL) is equally, if not more important. • Stakeholders from the private and public sectors, international organizations and civil society should move beyond the calls for more regulation of AI. Regulation is certainly needed, in particular concerning data protection and privacy. Nonetheless, new models of governance, placed alongside regulatory frameworks and existing human rights instruments, are also needed. This research brief identifies two additional avenues to regulation: public procurement and standardization.