AN APPRAISAL OF SELECTED SALIENT HUMAN RIGHTS BEING IMPACTED AND ALTERED BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

With the emergence and broad deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in all sectors of the economy and human endeavours, this article accentuates the possibility that some fundamental human rights (guaranteed by most civilised nations) will be impacted and altered. To this end, the article appraises selected salient human rights being impacted by the deployment of AI, and which violate protected and guaranteed human rights, raising major concerns. The article assesses the theoretical grounding of human-rights law and its catalytic role in informing and shaping the emergence of new fundamental rights. Equally important, the article delves into pertinent legal issues emanating from the use of AI technologies and their potential threats to vulnerable new rights. While AI promises a significant positive impact on the economy and human development, there is a need to address pertinent concerns about the manner in which AI could impact existing human rights, and ultimately alter the form and content of these rights, resulting in the emergence of new fundamental rights.