Summer School on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ethics and Human Rights, 22 -26 June 2026

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping societies and creating new opportunities for efficiency and innovation. However, these developments present significant ethical challenges, particularly in protecting fundamental human rights. Issues such as algorithmic bias, discrimination, and fairness highlight the disproportionate effects AI can have on marginalised communities. The tension between public safety and personal freedom becomes especially critical as AI technologies are increasingly integrated into vital sectors, including criminal justice, healthcare, and labour.

The international community continues to grapple with the challenges posed by AI advancements. In December 2024, UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the Security Council, stating, “Humanity’s fate can’t be left to algorithms.” He stressed the urgent need for global AI governance, warning that the rapid pace of AI development is outpacing regulatory efforts, increasing risks to global peace and security. The Secretary-General Guterres highlighted critical concerns, including safety, equality, accountability, and the need to maintain human oversight in AI-driven decision-making.

The need to advance knowledge on AI and challenges associated with the protection of human rights and ethical principles is becoming increasingly urgent. It is equally essential to foster the development of a new generation of experts equipped to tackle today’s challenges while anticipating those of the future. In response to this need, UNICRI and LUMSA Human Academy are hosting a unique and specialised training dedicated to these critical topics.

The Summer School offers a comprehensive knowledge of the main scientific features of AI, starting with its definition, exploring its key characteristics, and examining recent developments and innovations. It also addresses emerging ethical questions and their impact on human rights in today's landscape. 

Participants will engage with key ethical principles and values surrounding AI, such as meaningful human control, trustworthiness, explainability, transparency, non-discrimination, privacy, surveillance, autonomy, accountability, and sustainability. They will also examine how these principles and values should guide our actions throughout the AI life-cycle, from design and development to deployment and real-world applications. 

The objective is to illustrate how technologies may pose risks to or help safeguard human dignity from a human-centric perspective. 

Over the week, participants will delve into the philosophical and legal frameworks governing AI and human rights in the international context, exploring recent regulations in Europe (AI Act, 2024) and outlining how international human rights law applies to AI technologies.

The course will then focus on critical issues such as algorithmic bias, discrimination, and inequalities in AI systems, emphasising their impact on marginalised communities and society. It will also highlight the tension between public safety and personal freedom in an increasingly data-driven world. Additionally, the course will also address the ethical responsibilities of tech companies, governments, societies, and individuals in mitigating the risks associated with AI and its impact on specific fields. Furthermore, it will explore neuro-AI (the convergence of neurotechnologies and AI) and examine specific cases in healthcare, criminal justice, and labour rights, focusing on vulnerabilities. 

By the end of the course, participants will have developed a nuanced understanding of the complex relationship between AI, ethics, and human rights, equipping them with interdisciplinary knowledge and critical awareness to evaluate AI's role in society.
Through lectures, document analysis, case studies, interactive debates, and expert insights, participants will explore ways to ensure that AI is developed and deployed with a strong emphasis on ethical considerations and respect for human rights. This dynamic learning environment will engage and empower participants to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on balancing scientific and technological innovation with fairness and justice in a human-centric approach.

This course will take place within the AI Literacy Programme, conducted by UNICRI through its Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in The Hague, The Netherlands, since 2016. The programme promotes awareness of AI’s risks and benefits through a human rights-based approach, fostering practical coordination, knowledge-sharing, and public engagement. This Centre is dedicated to the responsible development and use of AI and robotics from the perspective of crime and security, focusing on awareness-raising, education, information exchange, and stakeholders' harmonisation.

In 2024, LUMSA University established the Centre for Bioethics and Digital Transition in Rome, which promotes an interdisciplinary dialogue encompassing informatics, human and social sciences, ethics, law, and politics. Its goal is to reflect on the theoretical foundations and practical application of a human-centric perspective to AI. The Centre coordinates European and international research projects on AI ethics in medicine and the workplace, with a specific focus on vulnerabilities.

The Summer School offers professional, legal, social, scientific, and academic perspectives through lectures, interactive debates, case studies, and expert insights. The faculty of the Summer School comprises leading scholars and academics from LUMSA and other universities, along with representatives from the United Nations system, international human rights bodies, and civil society organisations.