IGF 2023 Launch / Award Event #43 Practical Toolkits for AI Risk Mitigation for Businesses

Time
Monday, 9th October, 2023 (00:45 UTC) - Monday, 9th October, 2023 (01:15 UTC)
Room
WS 9 – Room C-2
Subtheme

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Emerging Technologies
Future & Sustainable Work in the World of Generative AI

Theme
AI & Emerging Technologies

United Nations Development Programme
Nusrat Khan, UNDP, Intergovernmental Organisation, Intergovernmental Organisation Soujanya Sridharan, Aapti Institute, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group Vinay Narayan, Aapti Institute, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

Speakers

Nusrat Khan, UNDP, Intergovernmental Organisation, Intergovernmental Organisation Vinay Narayan, Aapti Institute, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

Onsite Moderator

Vinay Narayan, Aapti Institute, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

Online Moderator

Nusrat Khan, UNDP, Intergovernmental Organisation, Intergovernmental Organisation

Rapporteur

Soujanya Sridharan, Aapti Institute, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

SDGs

8.5
8.8

Targets: While use of AI technologies can create job opportunities in areas such as data-labelling, it can have deleterious effects on the labour force in a number of traditional and growing sectors. The most significant threat of AI automation in traditional industries such as retail, agriculture and automobiles is that of job loss. Along with this, AI automation can also pose additional hazards including loss of control over their data for workers and a risk of dehumanisation. AI-intermediated work has been heralded for its ability to create job opportunities, but it comes with its own set of perils. Preliminary research has shown that AI-intermediated gig work has fostered poor working conditions, an inadequacy of income and increased worker surveillance. The risk assessment toolkit looks to address these issues by helping businesses identify and protect against such risks - thereby protecting labour rights, and promoting safe and secure working environments, especially for workers in precarious work environments.

Format

Presentation with interactive audience question and answer segment.

Duration (minutes)
20
Language
English
Description

Aapti Institute and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Business and Human Rights in Asia programme undertook a research project to explore the impact of AI deployment by businesses in India on human rights. This research understands the impact of AI deployment on human rights of consumers in the sectors of healthcare and financial services, and the labour force in sectors of retail and gig economy. The report identifies the human rights risks affecting consumers and workers, proceeding to suggest sector-specific pathways for risk mitigation, outlining specific roles for the State and businesses. As part of the report, we have developed sector-specific risk assessment toolkits for businesses to adopt, helping them to identify and mitigate risks. These toolkits have been developed in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, and contain action items for each stakeholder. We believe that this research is crucial and timely given the rapid growth of AI across numerous sectors. While the efficiency gains of AI can be enormous for businesses and the government, its impact on human rights remains understudied. The pace of advancement in AI technologies has resulted in them functioning in an environment lacking in adequate regulatory mechanisms. In this context, we believe this Risk Assessment Toolkit serves as a unique self-regulating mechanism that can be adopted by businesses to mitigate against human rights risks from AI deployment - thereby making such technologies more rights-respecting. Through this Launch, we look to draw attention to this risk assessment toolkit and further the dialogue around how we can create a balanced rights-based approach to the governance of AI, especially from the perspective of human rights defenders and technology developers. The report, along with the risk assessment toolkit can be accessed here: https://thedigitalpubliclab.com/work-embed.html?link=https://www.undp.o…

The session is structured to involve inputs from speakers who are both present onsite and online. Subsequent to the inputs from the speakers, the session will have a question and answer session - and we will reserve a portion of this for questions from online participants. We also plan to use a Menti poll - which is an easily accessible digital tool to receive feedback on a few critical elements of the Launch presentation from participants, both onsite and online.