Joint Committee on Human Rights: Is AI a threat or opportunity for human rights?

Panel 1, from 2.20pm: 

• Mr Ravi Naik, Legal Director, AWO (a law firm supporting organisations' AI governance and risk frameworks) 

• Professor David Leslie, Professor of Ethics, Technology, and Society at Digital Environment Research Institute (DERI), Queen Mary University of London, Director of Ethics and Responsible Innovation Research, The Alan Turing Institute 

The Joint Committee on Human Rights will explore issues surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and its likely impact on human rights with an evidence session on Wednesday 2 July. 

The growing use of AI by governments, private companies and wider society has raised fears that it could increase inequality related to protected characteristics, undermine the democratic process or impair individual autonomy. Conversely, AI could also provide opportunities to better protect human rights, for example by improving monitoring. 

In this session the joint committee will examine the key areas of concern, including where AI interacts with individual human rights. It will examine if existing international conventions and legal frameworks are adequate to protect human rights and consider if new measures are needed.