The Council of Europe recognizes the importance of AI and its future impact on the society. The CoE has initiated broad discussion on how AI will affect human rights in different areas. In that regard a number of documents has been published:
- Resolution 2051 (2015) – Drones and targeted killings: the need to uphold human rights and international law (23 April 2015) – this resolution does not specifically mention AI but rather “automated (robotic) procedures for targeting individuals”,
- Recommendation 2102 (2017) – Technological convergence, artificial intelligence and human rights (28 April 2017),
- Reply to Recommendation – Technological convergence, artificial intelligence and human rights (19 October 2017),
- Comment by the Commissioner for Human Rights – Safeguarding human rights in the era of artificial intelligence (3 July 2018),
- Motion for a recommendation – Justice by algorithm – the role of artificial intelligence in policing and criminal justice systems (26 September 2018),
- Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence and Data Protection (25 January 2019),
- Declaration by the Committee of Ministers on the manipulative capabilities of algorithmic processes (13 February 2019),
- Speech by the Commissioner for Human Rights – We need to act now and put human rights at the centre of artificial intelligence designs (26 February 2019),
- Recommendation of the Commissioner for Human Rights – Unboxing Artificial Intelligence: 10 steps to protect Human Rights (May 2019).
Ad Hoc Committee on Artificial Intelligence – CAHAI
On 11 September 2019, the Council of Europe established a specialized committee (CAHAI) whose task is to “examine the feasibility and potential elements on the basis of broad multi-stakeholder consultations, of a legal framework for the development, design and application of artificial intelligence, based on Council of Europe’s standards on human rights, democracy and the rule of law”.