The Framework Convention on artificial intelligence and human rights, democracy and the rule of law from the Council of Europe

Abstract

The Committee of AI from the Council of Europe approved on 14 March 2024 a draft for a legally binding instrument on the development, design and application of AI systems based on the Council’s standards on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. This is the first binding instrument that aims to have a global reach, and the process included the participation of representatives from the 46 Member States of the Council and observer States, and the collaboration of representatives from international and regional organizations working on the field of AI, from the private sector and from civil society, research, and academic institutions. This talk will deal about the concepts of human rights, democracy and the rule of law and their relation with Artificial Intelligence, we will examine the most substantive parts of the Framework Convention and its application to AI systems lifecycle from a technological point of view, how it relates to other recommendations and regulations (i.e. AI Act, UNESCO’s recommendation, OECD, etc.), and the link between this legal text and both research and technical practices.