Judicial systems worldwide are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help lawyers identify precedents through the analysis of large amounts of data, to enable administrations in streamlining judicial processes, and to support judges with decision-making related to sentence duration and recidivism scores.
However, AI applications have implications for human rights as AI systems’ opaqueness can go against the principles of open justice, due process and the rule of law.
To support capacity building in this area, UNESCO and The Future Society (TFS) have announced the registration opening for a joint online training on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Rule of Law.
The course was formally launched on 6 December 2021 at The Athens Roundtable, the premier international, multi-stakeholder gathering on artificial intelligence, legal systems and functions, regulatory compliance, and the rule of law.
Marielza Oliveira, Director in UNESCO’s Communications and Information Sector, underscored that the impact of AI on society and human rights can only be addressed with a collaborative effort. “The online course on AI and the Rule of Law is an effort in this direction, with 21 speakers from 14 countries sharing their unique knowledge and experience,” Dr Oliveira said.
Nicolas Miailhe, President and Founder of The Future Society (TFS), stated: “The course aims to build capacity across judicial stakeholders around the world so they can be better equipped to navigate AI’s opportunities as well as manage the risks. This is crucial for the responsible adoption of AI.”
“The legitimacy of judicial decisions in democratic societies depends on public acceptance of the fairness of those decisions,” said Benes Aldana, President of the National Judicial College, United States.
Judge Aldana added that “it is important for the judiciary to begin early on to build capacity to deal with these rapidly evolving technologies. The Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) is a valuable resource in the process of training judicial operators worldwide.”
Developed in collaboration with Cetic.br|NIC.br, the National Judicial College (NJC), and IEEE SA, the course engages participants in a global and timely discussion around AI’s application and impact on the administration of justice.
Structured around six introductory modules, participants will have the opportunity to learn about:
Why AI matters for justice,
How AI can be responsibly adopted within justice systems worldwide,
What AI means for human rights, and
What the role of a judicial operator looks like in the age of AI.
The course will be run in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic and Portuguese.
Registration and more information can be found here.
The online course, hosted by the National Judicial College, will commence on 14 March 2022 and will last for six weeks. After the initial six weeks the course will be available online for self-directed learning. Participants will receive a Certificate of Course Completion after all six modules have been completed.
The project received support from the Open Society Foundations and the UNESCO Multi Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists (MDP).