Susie Alegre, a renowned human rights lawyer and author, delves into the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on human rights, critiquing the unchecked expansion of AI technologies and advocating for ethical regulation to mitigate potential infringements on fundamental rights. In her latest book, ‘Human Rights, Robot Wrongs,’ Alegre highlights the societal, environmental, and human costs of AI integration, urging a critical approach towards AI’s development and emphasizing the need for public awareness and engagement.
In an interview conducted by Killian Fox and published in The Observer on May 11, 2024, Susie Alegre, a noted human rights lawyer and author from the Isle of Man, discussed the challenges and implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on human rights. Alegre, who has advised organizations like Amnesty International and the UN, particularly focused on the consequences AI holds in warfare, sex, and creativity. Her latest book, “Human Rights, Robot Wrongs,” critiques the unchecked expansion of AI technologies and their potential to infringe on fundamental human rights.
Alegre expressed skepticism about the apocalyptic threats of AI, choosing instead to highlight the challenges in regulating AI development and its intrusion into personal lives via technologies meant to replace human interactions, emphasizing the potential dangers this poses to societal cohesion. She refuted the notion that more regulations on AI would stifle innovation, pointing out that effective regulation would channel AI development in ethically and socially beneficial ways.
Additionally, Alegre commented on the broader environmental and social tolls of AI technology, mentioning the exploitation of material resources and labor, particularly in the Global South. She argues for a critical and questioning approach to AI integration rather than wholesale acceptance, advocating for the public to consider AI’s substantial environmental impacts and the human cost of its development.
Her book “Human Rights, Robot Wrongs” is available for purchase through Atlantic Books.
