Forus
ADA - Asia Development Alliance | Forus ADA - Asia Development Alliance
Forus | Forus Forus

2023-05-24

Beyond the Buzz: Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies, what impact on civic space and the work of civil society?

Find the highlights from the DRAPAC23 session organised by Forus, ADA - Asia Development Alliance, ECNL, the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD), the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) and the Asia Center. Together - both online and in-person - we discussed the risks and opportunities when it comes to AI and its applications.

Forus

Digital Rights Asia-Pacific 2023

DRAPAC23 which stands for Digital Rights in the Asia-Pacific 2023 organised by EngageMedia aims to strengthen solidarity and networks among changemakers, champion diversity and inclusion within the movement, and bridge the media, technology, and human rights fields.

Civil society and activists worldwide are increasingly concerned about the impacts of AI on collective rights and civic space. AI technologies have the potential to impact fundamental rights and freedoms, such as freedom of expression, association, and assembly. The use of AI in surveillance and monitoring can infringe upon privacy rights and restrict the space for civil society to operate freely. AI-powered algorithms and systems can influence public discourse and shape the flow of information, thereby impacting collective rights. The potential for AI to manipulate or filter content raises questions about the fairness and openness of civic spaces. Misinformation and the spread of false narratives through AI-generated content further complicate the situation, undermining trust and impeding democratic processes.

 

The impact of AI on indigenous people and women has raised concerns about potential discrimination and exclusion. AI systems may perpetuate existing biases and amplify inequalities, affecting groups who have been historically marginalised. For indigenous people, AI can threaten their cultural heritage and traditional knowledge, as it may not adequately understand or represent their unique perspectives, values and language. Similarly, AI can reinforce gender stereotypes and reinforce discrimination against women, both in the workforce and in algorithmic decision-making processes. There is a need for safeguards and inclusive approaches to ensure that AI technologies do not further exclude communities. 
 
We have also seen how AI's impact on human rights is a crucial consideration. Deep fakes pose significant risks, particularly regarding the protection of women. These manipulated media can be used to spread disinformation, defame individuals, or facilitate harassment and exploitation. The lack of effective tools to detect AI-generated content further exacerbates the issue. Additionally, AI's influence on freedom of expression is a growing concern. A rights-based AI strategy should aim to create a participatory and meaningful space, engaging civil society organizations and social movements.
 
Collaboration between developers and CSOs can address challenges in education and ensure that the ecosystem is ready for responsible AI use. Furthermore, the impact of AI on elections in Asia necessitates addressing misinformation to safeguard the integrity of the democratic process. In national contexts, AI's impact on the civic space has implications for surveillance and the restriction of freedoms. The use of "flip the omelette" AI, can be explored to support and expand - rather than restrict civic space. However, clarity is needed on the information verification process, as the public easily accepts news as factual without tools to distinguish between true and false information. Watermarking AI generated images could be an option for the time being. 
 
To ensure AI serves the interests of the people, a critical question is whether AI is benefiting all individuals or only a select few. While AI's international industry faces challenges, these challenges become even more complex on a national level. Evaluating and addressing the multilayered challenges is essential to ensure that AI benefits society as a whole. 

 

So, what's next? 

 

Collectively we would like to continue discussing, while sharing the asks and needs of civil society, when it comes to AI. We invite you to join our virtual global roundtable discussion for a thought-provoking exploration of cutting-edge strategies and tools to successfully navigate this ever-changing terrain. 

 

The event will take place on Thursday June 8 (13-14:30 GMT, Check your time zone here) and will provide the opportunity to collect experiences and resources for a toolkit and participative Civil Society AI Manifesto.

 

As always, bring your ideas along, together we can create a resource to help each other in this journey.

The content will be created jointly and the advocacy messages will be shared at the following events: the IGF, the High-Level Political Forum and RightsCon. A social media campaign on digital rights with a specific focus on the impact of AI will be developed in the weeks following the workshop as part of the #Let’s Talk Digital campaign.