How can AI help protect human rights in conflict zones?

1 AI for monitoring

One of the main applications of AI for human rights protection is to monitor the situation on the ground and detect signs of violence, displacement, or atrocities. AI can analyze various sources of data, such as satellite imagery, social media posts, or audio recordings, and use computer vision, natural language processing, or speech recognition to identify patterns, anomalies, or indicators of human rights violations. For example, AI can help locate mass graves, track refugee movements, or flag hate speech online.

2 AI for documentation

Another way that AI can help protect human rights in conflict zones is to document the evidence of abuses and provide credible and verifiable information for advocacy, litigation, or transitional justice. AI can help collect, organize, and analyze large amounts of data, such as photos, videos, testimonies, or reports, and use facial recognition, geolocation, or blockchain to verify the authenticity, location, or timestamp of the data. For example, AI can help match the faces of perpetrators or victims, corroborate the scenes of crimes, or secure the chain of custody of the data.

3 AI for prevention

A third way that AI can help protect human rights in conflict zones is to prevent or mitigate the escalation or recurrence of violence, oppression, or injustice. AI can help predict, prevent, or respond to potential threats, such as attacks, raids, or massacres, by using machine learning, data mining, or simulation to forecast scenarios, assess risks, or recommend actions. For example, AI can help alert civilians or humanitarian workers, suggest interventions or negotiations, or simulate the outcomes of different strategies.

4 AI challenges

AI is not a foolproof solution for protecting human rights in conflict zones. Ethical and practical issues must be addressed before AI can be used responsibly. For example, AI requires accurate, reliable data to work properly, but this may be scarce or manipulated in conflict zones. Additionally, AI can produce results that are hard to explain or challenge, particularly when they involve complex decisions that affect human lives. Furthermore, AI may expose data and users to hacking or surveillance, especially in contexts with hostile actors or weak legal frameworks. Finally, AI may have unintended consequences on human rights, such as displacing or discriminating against certain groups or creating new power imbalances.

5 AI recommendations

AI needs to be developed, deployed, and regulated with respect for human rights and humanitarian principles in mind. A human-centered and participatory approach should be taken to involve and serve the needs of affected communities and stakeholders. Additionally, AI should comply with international human rights law and standards, as well as ethical principles of fairness, accountability, transparency, and privacy. To ensure responsible use of AI, a robust and inclusive governance system must be implemented with oversight, monitoring, evaluation, and feedback mechanisms. Furthermore, a collaborative and diverse ecosystem should be built to foster cooperation among different actors and sectors while promoting diversity in the development and use of AI. Ultimately, by adopting a responsible and ethical approach to AI, its benefits can be harnessed while minimizing its harms for the sake of humanity and dignity.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?