AI Must Advance Human Rights, Not Inequality, UN Expert Tells Human Rights Council
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming economies, workplaces, education systems, and public services across the world. While the technology holds enormous potential to create opportunities and improve lives, experts are increasingly warning that its benefits will not be shared equally unless strong safeguards and responsible governance are put in place.
Addressing the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Claudia Flores emphasized that AI can become a powerful force for advancing opportunities for women and girls. However, she cautioned that without effective oversight, transparency, and human rights protections, the technology could deepen existing inequalities and create new forms of discrimination.
The Promise of AI for Women and Girls
Artificial Intelligence has the potential to expand access to education, healthcare, financial services, and employment opportunities. AI-powered tools can help bridge geographical barriers, support personalized learning, improve medical diagnoses, and create innovative pathways for economic participation.
For women and girls, particularly those in underserved communities, these technological advances could open doors that were previously inaccessible. Digital platforms and intelligent systems can provide access to information, training, and resources that empower individuals to participate more fully in society and the global economy.
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, its ability to drive social progress is becoming more apparent.
The Risk of Deepening Inequality
Despite its promise, AI also carries significant risks. Algorithms are often trained on existing data, and if that data reflects societal biases, the resulting systems can reinforce discrimination rather than eliminate it.
Bias in recruitment tools, financial services, facial recognition technologies, and online platforms has already raised concerns among human rights advocates. Women and girls can be disproportionately affected when AI systems make decisions based on incomplete, biased, or unrepresentative information.
Experts warn that without proper governance frameworks, AI could widen social and economic gaps instead of reducing them.
Governance Is Key
According to Flores, the future impact of AI will depend largely on how governments, businesses, researchers, and international institutions choose to develop and regulate the technology.
Effective governance includes transparency in algorithmic decision-making, accountability for harmful outcomes, protection of privacy rights, and meaningful participation from diverse groups in AI development. These measures help ensure that technology serves people fairly and responsibly.
Human rights advocates argue that ethical guidelines should not be treated as optional considerations but as fundamental requirements for AI systems that affect people’s lives.
Shaping the Future Responsibly
One of the most important messages delivered at the Human Rights Council was that the future of AI is not predetermined. Society has the ability—and the responsibility—to shape how the technology evolves.
By prioritizing human dignity, equality, inclusion, and accountability, policymakers and technology developers can create systems that benefit everyone. This approach requires cooperation across sectors and borders to establish standards that protect vulnerable populations while encouraging innovation.
A Human Rights-Centered Vision
As AI continues to reshape the modern world, the debate is no longer about whether the technology will influence society, but how it will do so. The challenge facing governments and institutions is ensuring that technological progress goes hand in hand with human rights protections.
The message from the Human Rights Council is clear: Artificial Intelligence has the power to transform lives, but its success should be measured not only by technological advancement, but also by its ability to promote fairness, opportunity, and equality.
The future of AI remains in human hands. With responsible governance and a commitment to human rights, it can become a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion, helping create a more inclusive future for women, girls, and communities around the world.
