In response to the widespread debate sparked by the development of artificial intelligence (AI), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) held the Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights Trends Forum today. The forum featured a series of key speakers including Australian Human Rights Commissioner Lorraine Finlay, who delivered a keynote speech on “AI and its Human Rights Risks.” Additionally, Isabel Hou, Secretary General of the Taiwan AI Academy, shared insights on imagining the future of human-machine coexistence and collaboration. Sophie Nerbonne, Director for economic co-regulation of the French Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés, used the EU AI Act as an illustration of ways in which international legal regulations and practices can address the challenges posed by AI to human rights.
The NHRC is working to explore the social impacts and human rights risks caused by generative AI through discussion with domestic and international experts and scholars, to seek a greater understanding of the opportunities it offers and of related international regulations, and to increase public awareness of the importance of self-protection and human rights needs in the digital technology era. Representatives at the forum included Robert Fergusson from the Australian Office, Aznifah Ghani from the Malaysian Friendship and Trade Center, and Renee Bates, Deputy Representative of the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office, among others. The presence of individuals from so many different countries highlights the significant international concern that exists regarding AI development and human rights issues.
In her opening remarks, Chairperson Chen Chu emphasized that the NHRC places special emphasis on the impact of AI on disadvantaged groups. She stated that AI developers should aim to uphold human dignity and support the free development of individual personalities while fully respecting and protecting everyone's fundamental rights. Chen further stressed that, despite the concerns generative AI may raise regarding privacy and disinformation, Taiwan, as a member of the democratic and free world, must bravely face the human rights challenges brought about by AI.
Chairperson Chen called attention to the recent release of Taxonomy of Human Rights Risks Connected to Generative AI by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which points out that this technology may lead to disinformation, unemployment risks, deepfakes, and children’s inability to discern the authenticity of content. Generative AI can subtly undermine an individual’s ability to form opinions and hold personal viewpoints. If malicious actors use generative AI to create and spread disinformation, it could threaten the core value of freedom of expression.
Chen also noted that the NHRC conducted a survey of 803 university students this year. The findings revealed that approximately 75% of the respondents had provided personal privacy information while interacting with generative AI and were concerned that their personal information or chat content might be collected or leaked to third parties. Additionally, 61.7% of respondents stated that generative AI could produce incorrect, discriminatory, or inappropriate content and worried that such content could lead to the spread of disinformation or the radicalization of discourse. Nearly 90% of respondents believed that the development of generative AI should involve multi-stakeholder dialogue that incorporates the perspectives of different groups.
Commissioner Finlay of the Australian Human Rights Commission pointed out that while AI has the potential to improve human lives, it is necessary to recognize the human rights risks it may pose in the areas of privacy issues and bias and discrimination, and to stress the importance of authentic information. She emphasized that democratic systems in particular rely on citizens’ ability to access true information to make informed decisions. However, for democratic countries, the human rights issues brought about by AI present unique challenges.
According to Finlay, governments around the world are beginning to take measures to address human rights risks. One example is the HRIA Tool: AI in Banking project developed by the Australian Human Rights Commission last year. Finlay emphasized the importance of constantly emphasizing human rights as the core of interaction with AI.
The forum was moderated by Vice Chairperson Tsai Chung-Yi, Commissioner Pu Chung-Cheng, and Commissioner Upay Radiw Kanasaw. Representatives from industry, government, academia, and research institutes, such as the Preparatory Office of the Personal Data Protection Commission, Microsoft Taiwan, Business Next, vTaiwan, and the Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology also participated in discussion of the social impacts and human rights risks caused by generative AI.
Representatives of the Indonesian, German, and Swiss diplomatic missions to Taiwan also attended the forum, and the event attracted the attention of international non-governmental organizations such as AccessNow, FNF Global Innovation, and Amnesty International Taiwan. Commissioners Wang Jung-Chang, Tien Chiu-Chin, Yeh Ta-Hua, Wang Yu-Ling, Kao Yung-Cheng, and Chi Hui-Jung from the NHRC. Control Yuan members Lai Ting-Ming and Fan Sun-Lu were also present.