RightsCon Tunis 2019

This session will explore how human rights frameworks can be integrated into the governance of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. Building on international human rights law and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, it will discuss the value the existing human rights framework brings to the conversation about “ethical AI.” With a diverse panel drawn from international organisations, civil society, academics, and private sector, the discussion will explore the varying impact of these technologies in different countries and highlight both recent accomplishments and where further research is needed to inform policy development. The rapid development and deployment of artificial intelligence has many stakeholders concerned, and in the past several years, we have witnessed a proliferation of principles documents that attempt to guide the ethical and rights-respecting development and deployment. These declarations may each have individual value, but do they represent an emerging consensus about the proper use of AI/ML tools? If a consensus is emerging, does it reflect the reality of how AI tools are being deployed globally and cross-culturally, in non-democratic states as well as democratic ones? Do current principles reflect international human rights norms, and how do they anticipate and address governance challenges?