Human rights and artificial intelligence: the challenge of an era

In May 2018, Amnesty International, Access Now, and a handful of partner organizations launched the Toronto Declaration on protecting the right to equality and non-discrimination in machine learning systems. The Declaration is a landmark document that seeks to apply existing international human rights standards to the development and use of machine learning systems (or "artificial intelligence"). Machine learning (ML) is a subset of artificial intelligence. It can be defined as " provid[ing] systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed." One of the most significant risks with machine learning is the danger of amplifying existing bias and discrimination against certain groups who already struggle to be treated with dignity and respect.