This year marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). As the global community reflects on progress made to date, one change from the world of 1989 will significantly impact the next 30 years for children’s rights: artificial intelligence (AI). Recent progress in the development of AI systems are expected to profoundly influence life and work in the 21st century, raising both hopes and concerns for human development. As UNICEF explores the many compelling reasons to use AI for children’s development (such as education, health and social welfare), it is also concerned about a world in which AI remains unchecked.
AI systems, often working as “black boxes”, raise issues of privacy, accountability, recourse and exclusion, particularly for those who are least aware of their rights in the digital age: children. Without a human-centered foundation to AI development, children’s rights to learn, play and participate freely are at risk. Children need to be protected in an AI world, but they also need to be prepared to fully engage it. In addition to putting safeguards and ethical standards in place, we need to prepare children for the AI future by teaching them AI skills and literacies.
Currently, there is a window of opportunity to lay down the foundations that will guide the development of software, algorithms and data standards – as well as policies related to AI in society – needed to maximize the benefits and limit the risks of AI systems. However, UNICEF has noted that in most national AI policies and corporate strategies there appears to be little attention paid to children’s rights, needs and the impact of AI on them. This must change as children stand to gain and lose the most when it comes to AI.
UNICEF, in partnership with the IEEE Standards Association and in collaboration with the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society, the World Economic Forum and other organizations part of Generation AI, is therefore developing a policy guidance for AI and child rights aimed at governments, corporations and UN agencies. We are hosting a workshop with around 50 experts to lay down the roadmap for the policy project.
Build a consensus among various stakeholders about the objectives of the initiative and key principles of the guidance.
Brainstorm how to move from policy to practice and what support tools are needed for different audiences – government, industry and the UN – to implement the guidelines.
Generate ideas on multistakeholder policy engagement strategies for government, industry and the UN to implement the guidelines.
Build a network of AI and child rights changemakers committing to support the cause.
5Rights Foundation
AI4ALL
Allegheny County Department of Human Services
Baker & Mckenzie
Cetic.br
CIFAR (Canadian Institute For Advanced Research)
Digital Asia Hub
Evolution of Mind Life Society Research Institute
Facebook
Future of Privacy Forum
Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children
Google
Government of Finland
Government of Sierra Leone
Government of United Arab Emirates
Harvard Berkman Klein Center
IEEE Standards Association
Indian Institute of Technology - Delhi
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Microsoft
National Head Start Association
OECD
Saidot
Samurai Labs
Technoladies
Turkcell
Umea University - Sweden
University of Chile
University of Nottingham
United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UN DESA)
United Nations Technology Innovations Lab (UNTIL)
World Economic Forum (WEF)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Presentation by Steven Vosloo, UNICEF with Brent Barron, CIFAR and Elif Sert, UC Berkeley Law (Download PDF)
- AI and youth across different sectors: Urs Gasser, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University
- Ethically Aligned Design Guidelines: John C Havens, IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems (Download PDF) and click here to learn more about how to get involved with IEEE)
- AI principles that will guide the work of the C4IR: Agostinho Joao Almeida, World Economic Forum (Colombia)
Groups to brainstorm how each one of the AI principles below should be adapted to protect and promote child rights:
1. Uphold child rights
2. Prioritize children's development and well-being
3. Protect and nurture children's data agency
4. Ensure transparency, explainability and accountability for children
5. Prioritize safety, protection and AI literacy of children
6. Prioritize equity and inclusion for children
- Ways to address the diversity challenge in AI: Ecem Yılmazhaliloğlu, Technoladies (Download PDF)
- Standards to support ethical AI: Alpesh Shah, IEEE Standards Association (Download PDF)
- Industry perspective on AI: Michael Karimian, Microsoft
- Global regulations and AI: Danielle Benecke, Baker & McKenzie (Download PDF)
Groups to brainstorm what support tools/resources/actions are needed to implement the guidelines. The discussions will be based on the following use cases:
1. AI in education
2. AI in the home with connected toys
3. AI and under-represented populations
4. AI for humanitarian support
5. AI for social services
6. Robots an children: The role of embodied AI on children's social interactions and trust development
Afternoon coffee will be available from 3.45 PM onwards
- Kids online survey in Brazil: Multi-stakeholder engagement strategies, Alexandre Barbosa, Cetic.br (Download PDF)
- Digital identity, data protection and child rights in India, Subhashis Banerjee, IIT Delhi (Download PDF)
- Community engagement while designing a family screening tool: Amy Malen, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Pennsylvania (Download PDF)
Sharing of commitments to undertake key upcoming activities and the role of UNICEF
Jasmina Byrne, UNICEF (Download PDF)
Memorandum on Artificial Intelligence and Child Rights (UC Berkeley and UNICEF)
Youth and Artificial Intelligence: Where We Stand (Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society)
Ethically Aligned Design (IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems)
Policy and Investment Recommendations for Trustworthy AI (European Commission's High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence)
Feel free to contact Steven Vosloo (svosloo@unicef.org) or Priyamvada Tiwari (ptiwari@unicef.org) for more information on the workshop or the next steps.
