UAE Explores The Intersection Of AI And Human Rights In Recent Event

The UAE Permanent Committee for Human Rights (PCHR), in collaboration with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy (AGDA) and supported by the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL), hosted an event on artificial intelligence (AI) and human rights. The event, titled "AI and Human Rights – The Ethics of AI", took place on Wednesday and is part of a series exploring global human rights implementation.

The event provided a platform to examine the relationship between AI and human rights. Discussions ranged from leveraging AI to advance sustainable development goals to developing governance structures for responsible AI use. Ethical frameworks were also considered to ensure AI does not exacerbate existing inequalities.

Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director-General of AGDA, opened the event by emphasising the importance of transparency, accountability, and a human-centric approach in AI development. Dr. Al Dhaheri highlighted that these principles can guide technology to benefit all.

The fireside chat was moderated by Hind Alowais, Director of the PCHR, and featured leading experts including Omran Sharaf, UAE’s Assistant Foreign Minister for Advanced Science and Technology, and Shamira Ahmed, Executive Director of the Data Economy Policy Hub (DepHUB). Both experts agreed that AI development holds significant opportunities for global economies, individual lives, societies, and the planet.

Omran Sharaf stated, "The UAE is committed to harnessing the power of AI for the betterment of society while safeguarding individual rights and freedoms. One of our priorities is to work with international and regional partners to place equality, inclusivity, and sustainability at the foundation of global AI governance in the future."

Ethical Considerations

The discussion also explored potential risks if AI governance structures are not inclusive. The experts considered what ethical AI looks like and discussed forming a global consensus around this model. The implications of ethical AI on human rights and sustainable development were also examined.

Shamira Ahmed added, "The increasingly global discussion on responsible AI governance will benefit from leveraging the expertise of diverse voices – such as women and marginalised communities – to ensure AI technologies are designed and implemented in ways that uphold human rights, reduce inequality, support ethical innovation, and safeguard the environment."

Future Events

This fireside chat is part of an ongoing event series hosted by PCHR and AGDA. The series aims to raise awareness and exchange best practices in human rights implementation. It builds on the UAE’s tradition of working with international and regional partners to promote universal human rights according to international obligations.

The PCHR plans to host another event next month focusing on business and human rights. This upcoming event will feature contributions from United Nations experts and international academic scholars.

With inputs from WAM