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The Limits of Human Rights and AI

Teo, Sue Anne LU orcid (2026)
Abstract
The widespread use of AI in society has been heralded as bringing enormous potential for
economic growth, scientific advancements and increasing human well-being. At the same
time, human rights concerns related to AI has come to the forefront. Many of these concerns
touch on familiar and established human rights such as the right to private life, freedom of
expression and the right to equality and non-discrimination. At the same time, the way AI
challenges human rights and impacts upon key human interests seem to reveal the limitations
of the framework. It has been critiqued that human rights, whether it is in relation to specific
rights or the framework as a whole, is inadequate in addressing novel... (More)
The widespread use of AI in society has been heralded as bringing enormous potential for
economic growth, scientific advancements and increasing human well-being. At the same
time, human rights concerns related to AI has come to the forefront. Many of these concerns
touch on familiar and established human rights such as the right to private life, freedom of
expression and the right to equality and non-discrimination. At the same time, the way AI
challenges human rights and impacts upon key human interests seem to reveal the limitations
of the framework. It has been critiqued that human rights, whether it is in relation to specific
rights or the framework as a whole, is inadequate in addressing novel challenges posed by AI.
Relatedly, new rights have been proposed to address these drawbacks, alongside alternative
approaches, such as focus on ethical principles or changes proposed towards how human
rights are enforced or protected in the age of AI. The article examines the limitations of
human rights in relation to AI from three angles: operational, conceptual and foundational,
and the measures proposed to address these limits. It finds that the limitations are non-trivial
and a human rights revival through creative tools and foundational re-thinking is needed in
order to protect important human interests and capacities that are increasingly being harmed,
mediated and influenced by and through the use of AI. (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
submitted
subject
keywords
Human rights, Mänskliga rättigheter
host publication
Research Handbook on AI and Human Rights
editor
Temperman, Jeroen ; Quintavalla, Alberto ; Palmiotto, Francesca and Molbæk-Stensig, Helga
publisher
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
project
Anthropomorphic AI and emergent vulnerabilities: An empirically informed legal evaluation of the protection of users of AI chatbots (AAI)
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c737fc49-c678-47e0-b489-801b6571f27b
date added to LUP
2026-08-18 11:22:47
date last changed
2026-08-27 14:41:49
@inbook{c737fc49-c678-47e0-b489-801b6571f27b,
  abstract     = {{The widespread use of AI in society has been heralded as bringing enormous potential for <br/>economic growth, scientific advancements and increasing human well-being. At the same <br/>time, human rights concerns related to AI has come to the forefront. Many of these concerns <br/>touch on familiar and established human rights such as the right to private life, freedom of <br/>expression and the right to equality and non-discrimination. At the same time, the way AI <br/>challenges human rights and impacts upon key human interests seem to reveal the limitations <br/>of the framework. It has been critiqued that human rights, whether it is in relation to specific <br/>rights or the framework as a whole, is inadequate in addressing novel challenges posed by AI. <br/>Relatedly, new rights have been proposed to address these drawbacks, alongside alternative <br/>approaches, such as focus on ethical principles or changes proposed towards how human <br/>rights are enforced or protected in the age of AI. The article examines the limitations of <br/>human rights in relation to AI from three angles: operational, conceptual and foundational, <br/>and the measures proposed to address these limits. It finds that the limitations are non-trivial <br/>and a human rights revival through creative tools and foundational re-thinking is needed in <br/>order to protect important human interests and capacities that are increasingly being harmed, <br/>mediated and influenced by and through the use of AI.}},
  author       = {{Teo, Sue Anne}},
  booktitle    = {{Research Handbook on AI and Human Rights}},
  editor       = {{Temperman, Jeroen and Quintavalla, Alberto and Palmiotto, Francesca and Molbæk-Stensig, Helga}},
  keywords     = {{Human rights; Mänskliga rättigheter}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.}},
  title        = {{The Limits of Human Rights and AI}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}