The European Parliament has sent a strong signal that human rights must be at the forefront of the landmark legislation regarding the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems under the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). The Parliament has voted to ban several AI-based practices that are deemed incompatible with human rights. Mher Hakobyan, the Advocacy Advisor at Amnesty International, congratulated the move and said that banning live remote biometric identification systems is a significant step forward. However, the legislation does have some limitations and does not outrightly ban retrospective mass surveillance.
AI systems that discriminate against marginalized communities are also banned under this specific provision. This includes social scoring systems that prevent people from accessing essential public and private services, technologies that claim to predict crimes, and emotion recognition technologies used by law enforcement and border officials to identify suspicious individuals.
Although the draft law could limit exports of AI systems from the EU deemed as an unacceptable risk to human rights, providers of high-risk AI systems used for law enforcement, migration management, welfare provision, and other high-stake areas could still circumvent the AI Act by giving them the discretion to decide if their systems pose a high risk to human rights. This could render the AI Act as simply a “guidance document” for high-risk AI rather than an effective regulation.
Amnesty International and a coalition of civil society organizations led by the European Digital Rights Network (EDRi) has been calling for human-rights compliant EU regulation of artificial intelligence technologies and practices. Although the EU has committed to transparency and accountability over how AI systems are used and exported, Amnesty International calls on the EU to ensure equal access to technologies and the right to seek redress and remedy in case of harm.
It is important to consider the broader implications of this Act as cutting-edge technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace. Human rights should take precedence over AI advancements. While the AI Act is an important step forward, it should not be taken as a comprehensive solution to addressing the ethical challenges of AI’s growing use.
Amnesty International’s call for the EU to honour its international commitments reflects the need for governments and industries around the world to prioritize human rights when implementing new technologies. All stakeholders should keep the focus on using AI ethically, promoting transparency and accountability, and ensuring that it is not used to perpetuate harmful practices.
<< photo by Tara Winstead >>
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