ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE SOCIETY: NAVIGATING THE IMPACT OF AI ON JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Abstract

In an era defined by rapid technological advancement, the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands both as a beacon of hope, promise and a challenge. It has become increasingly evident that AI is not just a tool for innovation but, when deployed responsibly and ethically, can be a force for social innovation and change – improving equity and human rights, shaping societies and redefining the global landscape. The potential of AI to impact society has been noted by scholars, while it has been touted as providing solutions to many social problems, it also has the potential to perpetuate existing inequalities and injustices. It has been shown to replicate, amplify and even exacerbate biases related to race, gender and other social factors. It is, therefore, essential to consider the implication of AI development on issues like justice, human dignity and human rights in order to ensure that AI benefits equitably across populations and demographics without amplifying the already existing inequalities. This paper, seeks therefore, to examine the impact of AI on justice, human freedom and human rights especially those rights that are most impacted or most likely to be impacted by AI. The paper posits that AI can impact social justice through biased decision making, job displacement and so on. It therefore, recommends increased transparency and accountability in AI decision-making so that its benefits can be shared fairly and equitably across society