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Human dignity in the EU Artificial Intelligence Act: A case of chasing shadows in the dark?

Teo, Sue Anne LU orcid (2025)
Abstract
Human dignity is a key foundational value for human rights. Human rights are however facing new challenges from the development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies in society. Governance efforts to address such challenges have encompassed drawing up ethical guidelines, policy measures as well as legal regulation. The world’s first comprehensive regulation on artificial intelligence is the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which came into force in August 2024. However, to what extent does this regulation take human dignity into account in its framing or substance? Are there human dignity related gaps that remain despite the legislation and might there even be novel threats to human dignity from AI? This... (More)
Human dignity is a key foundational value for human rights. Human rights are however facing new challenges from the development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies in society. Governance efforts to address such challenges have encompassed drawing up ethical guidelines, policy measures as well as legal regulation. The world’s first comprehensive regulation on artificial intelligence is the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which came into force in August 2024. However, to what extent does this regulation take human dignity into account in its framing or substance? Are there human dignity related gaps that remain despite the legislation and might there even be novel threats to human dignity from AI? This chapter sets out to examine these questions and, like chasing shadows in the dark, finds that the role of human dignity is unclear and inconsistent and questions remain on the Act’s effectiveness to address novel threats posed by AI. The research agenda going forward should address these gaps, including through engagement with new and more participatory research methods in order to capture the evolving landscape of AI use in real-life. While the EU might be the first mover in regulating AI, a dignity-focused research agenda may necessitate that we look further. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
Human rights, Mänskliga röttigheter
host publication
Human Dignity and the Law
editor
Daly, Erin
publisher
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
38977789-d0e8-42f7-8afe-8aec04ee5a46
date added to LUP
2025-10-01 17:06:37
date last changed
2025-10-06 07:40:21
@inbook{38977789-d0e8-42f7-8afe-8aec04ee5a46,
  abstract     = {{Human dignity is a key foundational value for human rights. Human rights are however facing new challenges from the development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies in society. Governance efforts to address such challenges have encompassed drawing up ethical guidelines, policy measures as well as legal regulation. The world’s first comprehensive regulation on artificial intelligence is the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which came into force in August 2024. However, to what extent does this regulation take human dignity into account in its framing or substance? Are there human dignity related gaps that remain despite the legislation and might there even be novel threats to human dignity from AI? This chapter sets out to examine these questions and, like chasing shadows in the dark, finds that the role of human dignity is unclear and inconsistent and questions remain on the Act’s effectiveness to address novel threats posed by AI. The research agenda going forward should address these gaps, including through engagement with new and more participatory research methods in order to capture the evolving landscape of AI use in real-life. While the EU might be the first mover in regulating AI, a dignity-focused research agenda may necessitate that we look further.}},
  author       = {{Teo, Sue Anne}},
  booktitle    = {{Human Dignity and the Law}},
  editor       = {{Daly, Erin}},
  keywords     = {{Human rights; Mänskliga röttigheter}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.}},
  title        = {{Human dignity in the EU Artificial Intelligence Act: A case of chasing shadows in the dark?}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}