Workshop on "Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDGs: Fostering Multi-Stakeholder, Inclusive and Open Approaches"

The session will primarily discuss why a multi-stakeholder, inclusive and open mechanism is needed to address some key issues surrounding Artificial Intelligence.
The development and application of Artificial Intelligence technologies will profoundly shape humanity’s access to information and knowledge, impact communication and the practice of journalism. AI also has great potential to foster open and inclusive knowledge societies and promote openness in education and scientific processes, digital persistence, and cultural diversity. In turn, these can all contribute to achieve democracy, peace and the sustainable development goals.

In contrast, AI could also exacerbate inequalities and increase digital divide. AI and automated processes as fueled by big data can also for human rights, particularly to freedom of information, freedom of expression and the right to privacy. The use of AI in content moderation on the Internet without human judgement or due process can have a negative impact on the right to impart, seek and receive information, as well as on accountability, transparency and a shared public sphere. Issues of gender and racial discrimination are also being embedded into AI systems, with adverse effects. These ethical issues accompany questions about the technical divide that already exists between developed and developing countries.

UNESCO therefore sees an urgent need to take a global, pluralistic, multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder (e.g. public and private sectors, developed and developing countries, etc.) reflection on the ethical standards and policies that will guide the development of AI technologies. The session is proposed to explore these issues and reflect on how to harness AI technologies as processes to advance human rights, build inclusive knowledge societies and achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

UNESCO’s new publication “What if we all governed the Internet: Advancing multi-stakeholder participation in Internet governance” serves a useful reference on how to enhance an open, inclusive multi stakeholder process in formulating AI-related policies and norms at national and international levels.

The session will take place in room IV, at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France.