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What would a human rights-based approach mean to AI governance, and how could it counter ethics washing in the AI industry? In a recent episode of the Brain for Business podcast, FORSEE researcher Dr. Marta Lasek-Markey (ADAPT Centre) and Professor Linda Hogan (Trinity College Dublin) delve into their paper, Towards a Human Rights-Based Approach to Ethical AI Governance in Europe.
Ethics washing refers to AI actors’ superficial commitment to ethical principles without genuinely integrating them into the development of AI systems. This gives the public the mistaken impression that AI systems are developed transparently and ethically, even when that’s not the case.
In the context of AI governance, instead of relying mainly on voluntary codes of ethics that are subject to conflicts of interest and difficult to enforce, Dr. Lasek-Markey and Professor Hogan advocate for a human rights-based approach. This approach offers several key advantages:
Dual Power – Legal and Moral Language: Human rights language serves as both legal and moral languages. This enables it to address the ethical dimensions of AI while also providing a legally grounded basis for accountability.
A Holistic Understanding of Human Needs: Unlike many ethical frameworks, human rights take into account a comprehensive range of material, psychological, social, political, and existential needs- none of which should be overlooked or compromised in AI development.
Recognizing the Interdependence of Rights: Human rights are understood to be interdependent and indivisible. When applied to the context of AI development, it suggests that AI technologies which enhance economic well-being must be implemented in a manner that protects civil and political rights.
Stronger Institutional Support: Since many human rights frameworks are legally binding, they often receive more robust institutional backing than voluntary ethics initiatives.
For more concrete examples of how this rights-based approach can be practically applied, listen to the whole discussion at the Brain for Business Podcast. The paper in the Philosophies Journal also delves deeper into whether the EU’s AI Act constitutes a human rights-based approach, and how so-called European values can serve as an additional framework for achieving a human rights-based approach to AI governance.
This research is especially timely as policymakers and tech leaders debate the role of regulation in AI shaping AI. With countries like the US and UK resisting global efforts like the Paris summit declaration on inclusive AI, we need to strengthen the development of an AI future that prioritizes human and societal needs over purely technical advancement.
