On 10, December 2024, President Droupadi Murmu highlighted AI (artificial intelligence) misuse, cybercrimes, and climate change as emerging threats to human rights. She expressed this concern at the Human Rights Day event by NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) on Tuesday.

Expressing concern about AI misuse, the president said ‘’The human rights discourse so far has been centred on the human agency, that is, the violator is assumed to be a human being. With AI, however, the culprit could be a non-human, but intelligent agent’’.

Murmu said ‘’as we progress into the future, we are confronted with emerging challenges. Cybercrimes and climate change are new threats to human rights. The digital era, while transformative, has brought with it complex issues such as cyberbullying, deepfake, privacy concerns, and the spread of misinformation,”

The president said that climate change necessitates a re-evaluation of human rights at a global level.

Polluters of a different place and a different era are affecting the lives of people in another place. India, as the voice of Global South, has rightly taken up the leadership in climate action,” she added.

As the gig economy is growing, Murmu also urged businesses to prioritise the mental well-being of gig workers. She said ‘’As we embrace new economic models, we must ensure that the well-being of all individuals especially those in vulnerable sectors, remains a priority,”

Overall, Murmu speech highlighted the importance of addressing emerging challenges like cybercrimes, artificial intelligence misuse, and climate change to ensure the protection of human rights.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ai-can-be-misused-climate-change-a-new-threat-to-rights-president-murmu/articleshow/116187238.cms