Curtin Malaysia explores AI and human rights in thought-provoking webinar

Miri, Sarawak – 29 November 2024 – The Faculty of Business at Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) recently held a highly engaging webinar, ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Human Rights: Challenges and Opportunities’, bringing together renowned experts from academia and the judiciary. The event tackled the critical intersection of AI innovation and human rights protection, drawing a diverse audience of students, academics, and professionals.

Moderated by Dr. Mohammad Belayet Hossain, a lecturer at Curtin Malaysia’s Faculty of Business, the session featured three prominent panelists: Dr. Momin Noorjahan, Assistant Professor at Jamia Millia Islamia, India; Dr. Abdullah Fazi, Lecturer at Monash University Malaysia; and Asaduzzaman Asad, Senior Assistant Judge from Bangladesh.

Dr. Momin explored the risks AI poses to privacy and civil liberties, calling for global policies to protect human rights, while Dr. Abdullah emphasised ethical challenges like accountability, algorithmic bias, and transparency, advocating for ethical AI practices and education. Asaduzzaman, meanwhile, discussed the impact of AI on judicial processes, highlighting the need for legal systems to adapt to AI-driven changes.

Dr. Moomin also underscored the importance of balancing technological growth with safeguarding human rights, while Dr. Abdullah’s insights on algorithmic bias highlighted the risks of discriminatory outcomes without diverse datasets and rigorous testing. Asaduzzaman stressed judicial readiness to ensure AI’s integration enhances fairness and impartiality in legal processes.

The panelists agreed that while AI holds transformative potential, its unregulated application can threaten fairness, equality, and privacy. They emphasised the urgent need for robust legal frameworks to address these challenges and highlighted the role of academia in fostering responsible AI development.

Throughout the session, Dr. Mohammad skillfully moderated the discussion, facilitating an engaging exchange of ideas and encouraging panelists to share diverse viewpoints on the intersection of law, technology, and ethics.

The webinar concluded with a call for collaborative efforts across legal, technological, and educational sectors to uphold human rights while harnessing AI’s potential. Dr. Mohammad, on behalf of the Faculty of Business, expressed gratitude to all the participants and reiterated its commitment to fostering meaningful discussions on critical global issues.

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The webinar brought together experts from academia and the judiciary to discuss the ethical and legal challenges of AI