Mr Mario HERNÁNDEZ RAMOS, the newly elected Chair of the Steering Committee for New and Emerging Digital Technologies (CDNET) intervened on AI governance during the High-Level Addresses session at the Privacy Symposium, calling for a firmly rights-based approach to the regulation and deployment of the AI systems, while supporting and promoting innovation.
The session brought together policymakers, public regulators, representatives of the private sector, industry and academia to discuss practicalities of governing autonomous systems and the challenge of aligning international standards. During his intervention Mr Mario HERNÁNDEZ RAMOS underscored the transformative impact of AI across sectors and emphasised the general principles and standards enshrined in the Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. He further pointed to the significance of the risk and impact assessment of AI systems from the point of view of human rights, democracy and the rule of law ─ HUDERIA Methodology, guiding gradual risk management efforts across the diverse AI applications.
In parallel to the high-level panel at the Privacy Symposium, Ms Ana TOKHADZE, the seconded policy adviser at the Digital Development Unit, Council of Europe, also contributed to the session on assessing AI algorithms regulatory compliance. A multi-stakeholder discussion bringing together regulators and legal experts examined practical methods for assessing compliance under emerging regulatory frameworks and tackled challenges in auditing of AI models in practice. Ms TOKHADZE’s intervention contributed to discussions on building trustworthy AI ecosystems that balance innovation with the protection of fundamental rights, in accordance with the Council of Europe Framework Convention on AI and the HUDERIA Methodology. Her intervention focused on a multidimensional and context-based approach to risk management efforts.
The Council of Europe’s contribution at the Privacy Symposium underscored the importance of maintaining a human-centric approach to digital transformation. It further represented the Council of Europe’s key initiatives and risk assessment guidance designed to advance responsible and rights-based digital development.
