Building Trustworthy AI: Aligning Standards with Public Interest and Integrity

Panel Discussion: Towards a Global Response to AI and Human Rights - Side Event for the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Session - March 21, 2025

Panel Discussion: Towards a Global Response to AI and Human Rights – Side Event for the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) Session 58th – March 21, 2025

In a world increasingly shaped by algorithmic systems, the question of trust in technology has become central. Over the past months in Geneva, I participated in several gatherings of policymakers, experts, and diplomats focused on aligning artificial intelligence with human rights.

As part of the UN’s standardization community, I see daily how complex it is to shape global standards for emerging technologies. Yet we also have a responsibility to ensure that these standards do not harm anyone.

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Reflections from the AI Standards Hub Global Summit

Panel discussion

On March 17, 2025, I had the opportunity to speak at the AI Standards Hub Global Summit in London, joining a panel on “The Role of Civil Society and Human Rights Expertise in Shaping AI Standards.” This discussion, featuring experts from civil society, technical standardization, and policymaking, underscored a crucial reality: AI standards are not just technical tools—they are governance mechanisms that shape societal outcomes.
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Human Rights in the Digital Age: Balancing AI, Technology, and Governance in Smart Cities

2024 Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform
Tuesday 5 November 2024, 09:15-15:00
Pétale 5, Room c1, Maison de la Paix, Geneva

(Originally published on the Geneva Academy website)

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As digital technologies and AI increasingly shape the infrastructure and governance of urban settings and impact people’s lives in cities, safeguarding human rights becomes a central challenge. Without proper regulation, the widespread use of AI and other technologies risks infringing on fundamental rights and exacerbating inequality and discrimination.
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Ensuring Human Rights in Emerging Technologies Through ICT Standards

Standards and Human Rights

Date: October 21, 2024
Location: Room C1, WTSA-24, New Delhi, India

On October 21, 2024, the ITU hosted a compelling side event at WTSA-24 in New Delhi to address a vital question in today’s digital landscape: How can ICT standards ensure that human rights are upheld as new and emerging technologies develop? Co-organized by the ITU alongside the European Commission, Czech Republic, France, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), this event gathered experts across governments, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations.
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Human Rights & ICT Standardisation

Webinar on Human Rights and ICT Standardisation

(Originally published on the hsbooster website)

On Thursday 6th June 2024 (15:30 – 17:30 CEST) the CSA European Commission funded project StandICT.eu 2026, in collaboration with the HSBooster.eu project, discussed amongst experts working on human rights and standards, the issue of how to ensure Human Rights are considered and dealt with when addressing technical specifications in ICT standardisation.

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Trust in Tech: Navigating Emerging Technologies and Human Rights in a Connected World

Panel discussion at WSIS+20

(Originally published on the ITU website)

In our rapidly evolving digital landscape, emerging technologies are shaping our world in profound ways, offering immense opportunities for progress, but also presenting complex challenges. Moreover, technical standards play a foundational role in ensuring the interoperability, compatibility, and security of emerging technologies. As we embrace innovations such as artificial intelligence, it becomes increasingly crucial to ensure that these advancements uphold human rights and foster trust among users.

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Shaping a Sustainable Future: The Role of Standards and Policy in Ethical AI Development

Zoom screenshot

(Originally published on Youtube)

Join us on an exploration of the pivotal role of standards and policy in guiding AI and human-machine teaming toward a sustainable and dignified future. Our esteemed speakers will shed light on how adherence to these frameworks mitigates technology misuse, safeguarding human rights, and nurturing compassion. Gain invaluable insights into how AI can drive positive change, fostering inclusivity and upholding human and planetary flourishing. Together we can shape a future where ethical AI development leads the way to a more sustainable, prosperous society.

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IA : qui pour la réglementer ?

Sur la scène principale du FIFDH 2024 à Genève

(Publié à l’origine sur le site web du FIFDH)

En monétisant nos données, les géants BigTech ont engendré une immense concentration de pouvoir économique et financier. Aujourd’hui, un scénario identique mais aux conséquences plus vertigineuses encore se dessine : l’intelligence artificielle générative.

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AI for Humanity: AI based on Human Rights (WorldBank)

eWeek

(Originally published on the Dig Watch website)

Governments are increasingly using AI to improve efficiency or lower the costs of public services by automating decision-making in public services. At the same time, such algorithmic systems can also cause harm human rights (through reinforcing discrimination and undermining the privacy of digital personal data, e.g.), and frequently lack transparency and accountability in their implementation and use. Governments do not yet have a consistent means evaluating the impact of such systems on fundamental Human Rights. The goal of this session is to help better identify potential risks that may arise in connection with including certain AI/machine learning activities may impact human rights.

Enabling Governments to be ready for Big Data and Artificial Intelligence

AI Robot

I have been designing ICT policies, strategies and initiatives for several governments such as Liberia, Comoros, Burkina Faso, Mauritius, Mali and Thailand under funding from the World Bank, the European Commission, the Global Fund, the African Development Bank and USAID. Those strategic documents delineate models that allow organizing national digital economies by improving digital universal access, data governance, broadband connection, innovation, human capital, digital inclusion and cyber security among others. At the same time, they promote openness, transparency and accountability through open source software use, public data releasing, open data and open standards advocating.

Most of these ICT policies set up good basis to support innovations, create more efficient nations, empower citizens and boost economies but few of them take into consideration the raise of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, and how it could transform the way governments design and deliver public services.

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