Human Rights and the Governance of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) is bound to enable innovation in the decades to come. On the one hand, AI technologies may be used to improve societal well-being and help fight human rights abuses. On the other hand, AI presents a variety of challenges that can profoundly affect the respect for and protection of human rights. Therefore, it is important to place international human rights law (IHRL) at the centre of discussions about AI governance.

Our New Research Brief Human Rights and the Governance of Artificial Intelligence discusses the opportunities and risks that AI represents for human rights, recalls that IHRL should occupy a central place in the governance of AI and outlines two additional avenues to regulation: public procurement and standardization.

Written by Dr Ana Beduschi, Associate Professor of Law at the University of Exeter, the paper also calls for a more coordinated approach – under the United Nations leadership – that breaks silos and goes beyond sectoral and specialized audiences.

AUTHOR

Ana Beduschi

NEWS AND EVENTS

Portrait of Ana Beduschi News

Our New Visiting Fellow: Dr Ana Beduschi

17 October 2019

Dr Ana Beduschi is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Exeter. Her research and teaching focus on international human rights law, technology, as well as international migration and refugee law. She just started as Visiting Fellow at the Geneva Academy and will stay with us until December 2019.

Read more >

Photo of an art installation: The installation is made up of robots with eyes. When a user begins to interact with their smartphone, one of the robot eyes opens and begins looking around the room. When the interaction is over, the eye closes again. News

New Models of Governance Must Address the Human Rights Challenges Raised by Artificial Intelligence

2 March 2020

Our New Research Brief Human Rights and the Governance of Artificial Intelligence discusses the opportunities and risks that AI represents for human rights, recalls that international human rights law should occupy a central place in the governance of AI and outlines two additional avenues to regulation: public procurement and standardization.

Read more >

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

GHRP EU News News

Bridging Geneva and Europe: advancing human rights in the digital age

2 June 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform has taken its work on strengthening the international human rights system to the heart of European policymaking.

Read more

disops News

Impact of digital disinformation unpacked in new research brief series

9 April 2025

Our new series of Research Briefs examine the impact of digital disinformation and potential solutions for its regulation

Read more

Refugees Event

Unlocking Rights: Due Process and Human Rights of Refugees Deprived of Liberty

23 June 2025, 18:00-19:30

This Geneva Human Rights Platform event, organised with the Platform of Independent Experts on Refugee Rights will discuss the issue of Due Process and Human Rights of Refugees Deprived of Liberty. 

Read more

AI for Good Event Event

AI for human rights: Smarter, faster, fairer monitoring

8 July 2025, 14:00-16:00

The event, as part of the AI for Good Summit 2025 will explore how AI tools can support faster data analysis, help uncover patterns in large datasets, and expand the reach of human rights work.

Read more

Training

Human Rights and the Environment: Introducing Legal Regimes and Key Issues

1-8 September 2025

Participants in this training course will be introduced to the major international and regional instruments for the promotion of human rights, as well as international environmental law and its implementation and enforcement mechanisms.

Read more

Madagascar, Miarinarivo district. Women transplanting rice. Project

The Rights of Peasants

Started in May 2008

After having provided academic support to the negotiation of the UN Declaration for ten years, this research project focuses on the implementation of the UN Declaration on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas.

Read more

Project

Follow-up Review Pilot Series

Started in November 2021

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more