AI can have discriminatory effects when based on biased prior human decisions. In the public and private sector, AI-enabled decisions are made in many key areas of life – recruitment, admission to universities, credit, insurance, eligibility for pension payments, housing assistance, or unemployment benefits, predictive policing, judicial decisions and many more. Non-discrimination law and data protection law, if effectively enforced could address AI-driven discrimination. However, there is a deficit of awareness among the law enforcement and monitoring bodies and the general public. The community of industry, public authorities and civil society should address this issue in the context of the Internet governance debate.

The event will present the challenges and risks around the implementation of AI algorithms, the pros and cons of transparency and the ways to manage it in an optimal way, how to guarantee explicability - so users will understand how the algorithm works, how to secure the transparent process of its creation to make sure that it would not discriminate etc. It will also look into the role of Equality bodies and how to enhance it.

Draft Agenda:

9.00        Introduction to programme + short presentations of the speakers,

                 Irena Guidikova, Head of Inclusion and Anti-discrimination division, Council of Europe

9.15       Input: Overview of main challenges in relation to AI and discrimination

                Prof. Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius       

10.00     1st round of table discussions by session participants facilitated by speakers covering:

                What are the responses required to address the challenges and to ensure a victim centred approach?

                What is being done already and what else should be done?

10.30     Input: What role can, and should Equality bodies have?

                Milla Vidina, EQINET; Robin Allen, barrister Queen’s Counsel and co-founder of www.ai-lawhub.com

11.00     2^nd round of table discussions by session participants facilitated by speakers: Who’s problem is it?

               Discussion on roles and responsibility on addressing identified/anticipated challenges by different stakeholders (authorities, Equality bodies, NGO’s, the industry), how can their role be enhanced and what can be done to enable them to uphold their responsibilities.

12.00     Feedback from the table discussions in Plenary and Final discussion: setting up a minimum agenda for equality bodies in cooperation with other stakeholders

12.30     Finish

Key contributors (speakers)

Kirsi PIMIÄ, Anti-Discrimination Ombudsman, Finland

Milla Vidina, EQINET (European Network of Equality Bodies)

Krzysztof Izdebski, Policy Director of ePaństwo Foundation (Poland) working on government transparency and data

Meeri Haataja, CEO & Co-Founder, Saidot.ai

Merel Koning, Senior Policy Officer Technology and Human Rights, Amnesty International (or substitute)

Prof. Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius, Professor of Law, Radboud University, the Netherlands

Robin Allen, barrister Queen’s Counsel and co-founder of www.ai-lawhub.com

Matthias Spielkamp, Director, Algorithm Watch

Irena Guidikova, Head of Inclusion and Anti-discrimination division, Council of Europe

Usefully documentation:

Commissioner for Human Rights: Unboxing Artificial Intelligence: 10 steps to protect Human Right

European Commission again Racism and Intoloerance: Study on "Discrimination, artificial intelligence and algorithmic decision-making