United Nations (UN) Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk, in his speech at the "AI for Good Global Summit" held in Geneva, Switzerland, emphasized that artificial intelligence must serve people. Drawing attention to the risks brought by the rapid development of technology, Türk called for human rights to serve as a compass in this field.
Reminding that a new drug undergoes years of clinical trials and regulatory reviews before being released to the market, Türk noted that the same care is not shown when it comes to artificial intelligence. "Artificial intelligence is already transforming our societies, being developed and deployed very rapidly," Türk said, adding that the technology fuels mass surveillance, disinformation on social media, and gender-based bias.
Türk also added that the harm caused by AI-powered algorithms to children is increasing and that data centers have negative environmental impacts. On the other hand, he underlined that artificial intelligence has extraordinary potential, such as supporting medical diagnoses, accelerating scientific research, and strengthening public services.
Emphasizing that people must be able to trust artificial intelligence, the UN Commissioner questioned why regulations in the public interest are a subject of debate. Recalling that in the fight against climate change, powerful actors delayed action by casting doubt on science and prioritizing short-term interests, Türk said that a similar mistake must not be repeated with artificial intelligence.
Türk stated that critical thinking is easily overlooked, saying, "Instead of questioning how AI systems work, who benefits, who loses, and who is responsible, we are asked to believe that it will improve life." Noting that human rights help individuals have a say in decisions that affect them, Türk said, "Our task is clear: to ensure that artificial intelligence serves people, not the other way around. Human rights serve as a compass. Let us use them to the fullest."
