UNESCO Chair in Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights

Professors Susan Perry and Claudia Roda are at the center of UNESCO’s latest collaboration with The American University of Paris (AUP), working to create an environment that addresses Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments within a governance structure and regulatory system founded on the International Human Rights Framework. 

The UNESCO Chair establishment is for a renewable, four-year agreement. As newly awarded Co-Chairholders, Professors Roda and Perry join the ranks of roughly 900 UNESCO chairs and UNITWIN Networks worldwide in 125 countries within the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme (of which only 22 UNESCO chairs have been established at US universities) at a critical time for the advancement of discussions regarding the intersections between artificial intelligence and human rights. This is the first US UNESCO Chair in AI and Human Rights, which will cooperate with the other 20 UNESCO Chairs and UNITWIN networks in AI.

"Our collaboration will involve many international collaborative actions in the interests of implementing the Ethics of AI principles stipulated in UNESCO’s recommendation on the Ethics of AI and progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals," says Professor Claudia Roda.

Continuing decades of research with emerging AI technologies, ethical data collection and human rights issues, Professors Perry and Roda’s work has focused on the protection of vulnerable populations. Their work extends globally, currently including collaborative projects with civil society organizations in African and Asian countries. 

Professors Perry and Roda are also involved in a recent initiative with their students to design software to improve child literacy and access to books for disadvantaged children in the US. One important aspect of this project is the protection of the data produced by children when they interact with AI systems.