GENEVA (14 September 2021) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet will on Wednesday 15 September
issue a report analysing how artificial intelligence impacts our human rights. As part of the launch, the UN Human
Rights Office will hold a live media briefing at 14:00 Geneva time (14:00 CEST) on 15 September.
The speakers will be Peggy Hicks, the Director of Thematic Engagement at the UN Human Rights Office, and Tim Engelhardt,
Human Rights Officer in the Rule of Law and Democracy Section.
The report, which is part of UN Human Rights Office’s work on technology and human rights, looks at a range of issues,
highlighting worrying developments, including “a sprawling ecosystem of largely non-transparent personal data collection
and exchanges”. It sets out approaches for responding to what the High Commissioner calls “one of the most urgent human
rights questions of our age,” and makes specific recommendations for action to governments and businesses.
The live webcast will be available under the Live Now tab on the UN Web TV site: https://media.un.org/en/webtv
Full broadcast material will also be made available: https://vimeo.com/unhumanrights
The report (in English) will be accompanied by a press release in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.
Among the issues examined in the report are:
· Real-life impacts of AI, including people treated unjustly as a result of flawed AI tools
· Reliance on large data sets; the risk of faulty, discriminatory, out of date or irrelevant data
· Inferences and predictions by AI that can lead to and reinforce discrimination
· Use of biometric technologies
· Opaque decision-making process, lack of transparency about the use and development of AI systems
· Lack of due diligence by Governments and businesses in developing and using AI systems
**Visit the OHCHR page on the Right to Privacy in the Digital Age: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/DigitalAge/Pages/DigitalAgeIndex.aspx