Council of Europe publishes 10-Point Recommendation on Artificial Intelligence
The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe (COE) has published ‘Unboxing Artificial Intelligence: 10 Steps to Protect Human Rights’ (the 10-Point Recommendation). As noted in the introduction to the 10-Point Recommendation, the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on human rights is one of the most crucial factors that will define the period in which we live.
While there is no agreed definition of AI, the term is defined in the 10-Point Recommendation as follows:
AI is used as an umbrella term to refer generally to a set of sciences, theories and techniques dedicated to improving the ability of machines to do things requiring intelligence. An AI system is a machine-based system that makes recommendations, predictions or decisions for a given set of objectives. It does so by: (i) utilising machine and/or human-based inputs to perceive real and/or virtual environments; (ii) abstracting such perceptions into models manually or automatically; and (iii) deriving outcomes from these models, whether by human or automated means, in the form of recommendations, predictions or decisions.
The 10-Point Recommendation is divided into the following key areas:
- Human rights impact assessment.
- Public consultations.
- Obligations of member states to facilitate the implementation of human rights standards in the private sector.
- Information and transparency.
- Non-discrimination and equality.
- Data protection and privacy.
- Freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association, and the right to work.
- Remedies.
- Promotion of AI literacy.
The 10-Point Recommendation includes a checklist that identifies actionable points for each key area, providing general guidance on operationalising the recommendations.
The 10-Point Recommendation is accessible here.
Please note: The information contained in this note is for general guidance on matters of interest, and does not constitute legal advice. For any enquiries, please contact us at [email protected].