Baku hosted International Summit of Ombudsmen on the theme “Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities, Risks and Responsibilities”

At the initiative of the Ombudsperson of Azerbaijan, the International Baku Ombudsmen Summit on the theme “Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities, Risks, and Responsibilities” was held in Baku. The event was dedicated to June 18, Human Rights Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The summit brought together ombudspersons from nearly 30 countries, representatives of NHRIs, international organizations, civil society organizations, and heads of state entities, as well as prominent experts in the fields of artificial intelligence and human rights.

At the event, Farid Ahmadov, the Minister of Justice, read out the official message of greetings from  President Ilham Aliyev to the participants.

While delivering opening remarks, the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan expressed her deepest gratitude to President for his message to the participants.

The Ombudsman emphasized that the national strategic documents and state programs actively promote the implementation of AI technologies within a framework of ethical, safe, transparent, and human rights-based principles. 

The Ombudsman stressed the extensive application of AI in various sectors, including education, healthcare, social protection, labor relations, and the information ecosystem. She highlighted the crucial importance of developing these technologies in strict adherence to the principles of legality, accountability, equality, and respect for human dignity. In addtiion, she pointed out that NHRIs play a significant role in protecting human rights during the period of rapid digital transformation.

Farhad Abdullayev, Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan, noted in his speech that AI technologies present substantial opportunities within the judicial system. These opportunities pertain to the analysis of legal data, the systematically organization of judicial practices, and improvement of the accessibility of judicial services.

Musa Gasimli, Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of Azerbaijan, underlined the critical importance of improving human rights legislation, studying international best practices, and shaping legal mechanisms tailored to new technological challenges. He noted that Azerbaijan continuously advances its activities in this direction.

Hadi Bin Ali Al-Yami, Executive Director of the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC-IPHRC), remarked on the necessity of developing AI as a tool that serves human well-being and justice, noting its positive contributions to increasing efficiency in judicial and administrative domains.

Following the opening statements, the participants were presented a video message by Ms. Amina Bouayach, Chairperson of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI).

Summit’s panel sessions addressed a rainge of topics such as “Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities, Risks and Responsibilities”, “Protecting Rights in the Digital Space: Data Protection, Privacy, and Combating Disinformation”, “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Labor Market and Employment”, “Transparency, Justice, and Equality in AI Systems”, and “Digital Literacy and Protection of Human Rights.”

During these sessions, extensive discussions took place on pressing modern challenges, legal regulatory matters, and prospects for future international cooperation.

At the conclusion of the event, the Declaration of the International Baku Ombudsmen Summit was officially adopted.