Artificial intelligence (AI) is subject to several questions. This was the outcome of a training session organized by Friedrich Naumann, the René Cassin Foundation, and the French Embassy in Senegal. The session was attended by the President of the National Commission on Human Rights, Professor Amsatou Sow Sidibé. The 16th delocalized session on Human Rights examined the use of AI and the preservation of human rights.

Balance is essential, according to speakers such as Alexandra Heldt, West Africa Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. "The industrial theme with AI today constitutes a dialectic between the Individual, provider of ideas and technological innovation. The 4th revolution with AI offers unprecedented opportunities for human progress, but it also raises fundamental challenges for the dignity, freedom, and equality of individuals. Indeed, artificial intelligence technologies, associated with mass data (Big Data), are disrupting global balances," noted Alexandra Naumann, who thanked the Regional Office for West Africa of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

She believes that the use of AI poses real challenges in terms of preserving individual privacy. Without a legal framework, the use of these technologies can open the doors to all sorts of abuses. "The challenges of AI are numerous, and some are likely to undermine rights and freedoms, including the threat to privacy through the collection of data without consent, risks related to security and cybersecurity, and unequal access to AI, thus exacerbating disparities in education and employment, to name a few," said the West Africa director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

                             An appropriate legal framework is essential

As AI becomes more prevalent, there is an urgent need to use it intelligently, adopting it through the prism of preserving human dignity. "Since this transformation towards an AI society is an irreversible process, we must choose to navigate this ecosystem wisely, ensuring that the deliberate choices made today lead to a balanced future where the power of markets and wealth production are not threats to humankind," says Ms. Alexandra.

The President of the National Human Rights Commission of Senegal (CNDH-S) went further, outlining the appropriate legal framework governing these new technologies. "Faced with these challenges, it is essential that the legal framework evolve to ensure democratic governance, empowering designers, users, and institutions, and integrating independent oversight mechanisms. We can draw inspiration from the Council of Europe's recent Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence, which aims to protect democracy, the rule of law, and human rights in the face of technological challenges," recommended Professor Amsatou Sow Sidibé, President of the CNDH-S.