Artificial intelligence is growing exponentially, revolutionizing society, and approaching a virtual point called the “Singularity.” This chapter explores the complex relationship between artificial intelligence, human rights, and their impact on social behavior and ethos. By proposing a framework and analyzing international cases, the authors provide examples of the challenges and opportunities arising from this interaction. Artificial intelligence presents enormous opportunities and potential benefits, but it also raises serious concerns about the risks associated with it. This research reveals the dual nature of artificial intelligence, which acts as a double-edged sword in societal impact. Like any emerging and exponential technology, it takes time and conscious thought to understand and manage the potential impact of artificial intelligence on society and human rights. This chapter highlights the need for an informed approach to the implementation of artificial intelligence to ensure the protection of human rights while harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence for social progress.
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Introduction
Artificial intelligence has emerged as a transformative force of the 21st century, driving the Fourth Industrial Revolution and profoundly impacting human society (Moll, 2022). Its far-reaching impact is in simplifying daily tasks, advancing healthcare, automating social interactions, and improving decision-making processes in organizations and governments. Despite significant advancements in the artificial intelligence field, there remains a lack of clear understanding and a solid framework for addressing the impact of these technologies on human rights. The ethical and legal issues that arise with the use of artificial intelligence are complex and multifaceted and require an interdisciplinary approach to be adequately addressed (Kieslich et al., 2022). Furthermore, there are growing concerns about how artificial intelligence may perpetuate discrimination and inequality, as well as threaten privacy and individual freedom (Fjeld et al., 2020).
The development and implementation of artificial intelligence is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers significant benefits for humanity, such as improving medical care and automating tedious tasks. On the other hand, there are concerns about its potential negative consequences, such as the violation of human rights and the potential for misuse by those in power. The absence of regulation and governance in the field of artificial intelligence is a major concern, as it may result in the violation of certain human rights through the use and manipulation of personal data and information. Moreover, the gap between its use and lack of control may lead to the control of human behaviors, raising concerns about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. It is crucial that a comprehensive ethical and legal framework be developed to address these issues and ensure that the benefits of artificial intelligence are distributed equitably, and its negative impacts are mitigated (Cheatham et al., 2019; Etzioni & Etzioni, 2017).
While emerging technologies have the potential to greatly improve people's quality of life, they also have negative consequences, coming from the technological singularity (Valle-Cruz et al., 2023). The technological singularity, which refers to the point in the future when machines will achieve intelligence and cognitive abilities that surpass those of humans, or their capabilities can be turned against other humans. These scenarios pose a significant threat to human rights. As this event approaches, it is crucial to anticipate and address the potential risks it could present.
The development and implementation of artificial intelligence brings great benefits, but we cannot ignore concerns about potential human rights abuses and violations by those in power (Huang et al., 2022). Lack of proper regulation and governance in the artificial intelligence field has raised concerns about the misuse and manipulation of personal data, which poses a serious threat to human rights. Moreover, the potential for artificial intelligence to control human behavior and its ethical implications reinforce the need for comprehensive ethical and legal frameworks. It is paramount to equitably distribute the benefits of artificial intelligence and mitigate its negative impacts through proper regulation. For instance, in terms of economic rights, one of the likely risks is the loss of jobs, as machines could replace workforce massively. This could lead to economic and social inequality, as certain individuals and groups become marginalized. Likewise, the increasing use of artificial intelligence in various aspects of life, from health care to criminal justice, also raises concerns about the possibility of artificial intelligence being used in ways that violate human rights.
To deal with these kinds of risks, it is needed to take proactive measures. Privacy, discrimination, and economic rights are concerns given that artificial intelligence could perpetuate inequalities, displace jobs, and violate human rights in many areas; as well as the instruments of fundamental human rights and freedoms (e.g., Universal Declarations of Human rights, International Covenants and Letters of Human rights). This paper seeks to explore the multifaceted connections between artificial intelligence and human rights and their effects on human life and social conduct. Subsequently, a framework is proposed to consider the ethical and legal implications of artificial intelligence in human rights, which is then tested in several scenarios. A discussion follows, leading to the conclusion and potential future research.
