UNIVERSAL AI DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: Safeguarding Humanity and our Planet
The Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO Headquarters, Paris)
WE, THE PEOPLE OF EARTH, internationally united in purpose at the dawn of Artificial Intelligence, stand resolved to harness the immense power of AI for the preservation of our planet and the advancement of all humanity. These rights are our covenant with tomorrow, ensuring that as we unlock AI's potential, we safeguard our human rights, protect our environment, and secure our shared destiny.
We affirm that artificial intelligence must always remain a tool in service of humanity, augmenting human capabilities without superseding human judgment or undermining human dignity.
We hereby declare the following fundamental rights:
Human Identity and Dignity: Every person has the right to maintain their identity and autonomy in the face of AI advancements, protected from unauthorized deepfakes, manipulation, replication, or erasure by AI systems.
Human Existence and Flourishing: Every person has the right to AI technologies that safeguard human life and promote flourishing in a sustainable world, enhancing our survival capabilities and global security.
Equitable Access and Benefits: Every person has the right to access and benefit equitably from AI advancements, without exacerbating inequalities, ensuring fair distribution of AI-generated benefits across all segments of society.
Education and Digital Literacy: Every person has the right to understand and engage with AI technologies, ensuring they are not left behind in the digital age and can make informed decisions in an AI-driven world.
Environmental Stewardship: Every person has the right to live in a world where AI actively contributes to environmental regeneration and sustainability, addressing the urgent climate crisis and ecological decline.
We call for the establishment of international collaboration to implement and enforce these rights, recognizing that severe violations harm human rights, the environment, and global security. We commit to regularly reviewing and updating these principles as AI technology evolves.
An ancient Chinese proverb states, "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." This wisdom applies profoundly to the ethics and regulation of artificial intelligence.
Our mission is to advocate for responsible AI development and implementation. We believe in establishing robust guidelines and oversight to ensure AI technologies benefit all of humanity and protect our planet.
As citizens of a world interconnected by technology, we call upon governments, corporations, innovators, performers, filmmakers, writers, artists, photographers, medical professionals, scientists, educators, all creative industries, and individuals to adopt and uphold these principles as fundamental rights for all.
Signed,
Petition by
Sponsored by
To:
The Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO Headquarters, Paris)
From:
[Your Name]
Social and Human Sciences Sector
7, place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP France
ai-ethics@unesco.org
on.unesco.org/EthicsAI
Dear Director-General Azoulay,
We write to you as a diverse coalition of global citizens, including artists, scientists, educators, and climate advocates, united in our commitment to responsible AI development. We commend UNESCO's leadership in establishing ethical guidelines for AI, particularly the Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, and write to offer our support and propose an enhancement to these crucial efforts.
Our coalition has developed the "International AI Declaration of Human Rights." This declaration complements UNESCO's work by emphasizing five key rights:
-Human Identity and Dignity
-Human Existence and Flourishing
-Equitable Access and Benefits
-Education and Digital Literacy
-Environmental Stewardship
We believe these rights align closely with UNESCO's objectives while providing a framework that is accessible to the general public and adaptable to rapid technological changes. Notably, our emphasis on environmental stewardship addresses the critical intersection of AI and climate change, an area of growing global concern.
Given the accelerating pace of AI development, exemplified by recent breakthroughs in large language models and their wide-ranging implications, we respectfully urge UNESCO to consider expediting its timeline for implementing AI governance measures. While we understand the complexity of this task, we fear that the current 2030 roadmap may not adequately address near-term challenges.
Our coalition includes members from various creative industries, scientific institutions, and educational organizations. We stand ready to support UNESCO's efforts through public engagement and education initiatives, leveraging our collective expertise to promote ethical AI development globally.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how our “UNIVERSAL AI DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS: Safeguarding Humanity and our Planet” might complement UNESCO's existing framework and explore possibilities for collaboration. To this end, we propose a virtual workshop during the week of the International Day of Education 2025 to share insights and strategies for accelerating the implementation of ethical AI guidelines.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to the possibility of working together to ensure that AI serves the best interests of humanity and our planet.
Respectfully,
[Your Name] On behalf of World Climate School US and supporters