UK Signs First Global AI Treaty to Safeguard Human Rights & Democracy

The United Kingdom has signed the world’s first international treaty on artificial intelligence, joining other nations in a landmark move to prevent the misuse of AI technology. The legally binding agreement aims to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law from potential threats posed by AI.

A Global Effort to Regulate AI

The treaty, known as the Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, was drafted by the Council of Europe, an international human rights organization. It was signed on Thursday by the UK, EU, US, and Israel. This international agreement seeks to establish safeguards that will mitigate risks such as misinformation, biased data usage, and other harmful AI practices.

AI and Human Rights: Striking a Balance

Shabana Mahmood, the UK Justice Secretary, emphasized the dual nature of AI’s potential, acknowledging both its capacity to “radically improve” public services and “turbocharge” economic growth, while stressing the importance of protecting basic human rights. Mahmood stated, “This convention is a major step to ensuring that these new technologies can be harnessed without eroding our oldest values, like human rights and the rule of law.”

What is the Aim of the Treaty?

According to the Council of Europe, the treaty aims to address legal gaps created by the rapid advancement of AI technologies. The global regulatory landscape is currently fragmented, with various agreements, such as the EU AI Act and last year’s Bletchley Declaration. This new convention seeks to create a unified global framework for the responsible development and use of AI systems.

The treaty mandates compliance with principles that protect personal data, prevent discrimination, ensure safe AI development, and uphold human dignity. Governments must introduce safeguards to prevent AI-generated misinformation and the use of biased data, which could lead to wrongful decisions in areas like employment and benefits.

Who is Covered by the Treaty?

The treaty applies to both public authorities and the private sector, ensuring that any organization using AI systems assesses their impact on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Organizations must make this information publicly available and allow individuals to challenge decisions made by AI systems. Additionally, users must be notified when they are interacting with an AI system rather than a human.

Implementation in the UK

The UK government will now review its existing laws to determine whether they align with the treaty’s provisions. Currently, laws such as the European Court of Human Rights already cover some aspects of AI regulation, but the government plans to introduce a new AI bill to further strengthen these protections.

Sanctions under the treaty allow authorities to ban certain uses of AI. For example, the EU AI Act prohibits the use of facial recognition systems that collect data from CCTV or the internet without consent, as well as systems that categorize people based on social behavior.