The Intersection of Human Rights, Access to Justice & Generative AI
Opportunities, Risks, and the Path Forward
Presented by: Sara Padua Cordua | Justice Globe, Inc.
SC
by Sara Padua Cordua
A Changing Legal and Technological World
Explosion in generative AI
ChatGPT, Copilot transforming industries
Persistent justice gaps
Millions lack access to legal services
Evolving digital rights
New challenges in the digital age
Inclusive innovation needed
Technology must respect human rights
Understanding Generative AI
Applications
Legal research, document drafting, education
Training
Massive internet datasets
Capabilities
Generate text, images, code
Ethical issues
Bias, misinformation, misuse
Human Rights at Stake
Equality
Right to non-discrimination in AI systems
Privacy
Data protection in the AI age
Expression
Free speech and info access
Fair Trial
Right to legal representation
Access to Justice: The Global Gap
5B+
People Without Access
Lack meaningful access to justice (OECD)
30%
Legal Deserts
Areas with few or no legal services
80%
Unaffordable
Can't afford legal representation
How AI Can Expand Access to Justice
Multilingual Legal Chatbots
24/7 assistance for underserved populations
AI-Assisted Form Completion
Help for self-represented litigants
Legal Triage Systems
Match clients with appropriate aid
Brief Generation and Translation
Overcome language barriers in courts
Risks of Generative AI in Justice
Amplification of Bias
AI systems can perpetuate and magnify existing systemic discrimination in legal processes
"Black Box" Decision-Making
Opaque algorithms lack transparency and accountability in critical legal determinations
Privacy Violations
Increased surveillance and data collection threaten fundamental rights
Misinformation Risk
Deepfakes and AI-generated falsehoods can undermine evidence integrity
Toward Ethical & Equitable AI Integration
Human Rights First
Center rights in design and deployment
Transparency
Explainable AI models and processes
Independent Audits
Regular testing for bias and harm
Empowerment
Legal empowerment, not replacement
What Governments, Courts & Firms Can Do
Government Actions
Adopt AI ethics guidelines
Fund public-interest tech
Develop regulatory frameworks
Court Responsibilities
Require human oversight
Set standards for AI evidence
Train judges on AI limitations
Cross-Sector Collaboration
Lawyers + technologists
Academics + practitioners
Rights advocates + developers
The Future is Now
Not Neutral
AI reflects our values and systems
Serving Justice
Technology must uplift, not undermine
Building Together
Innovation that upholds human dignity