UN rights chief warns AI could become ‘modern-day Frankenstein's monster'

The United Nations (UN) top human rights official issued a stark warning on Monday, November 24, declaring that artificial intelligence (AI) without regulations risks becoming a “modern day Frankenstein monster” with human rights as its first victim.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk delivered the cautionary address at the UN’s business and human rights forum.

While acknowledging the “tremendous promise” of AI, he stressed the exploitation AI can do for political or economic gain that poses a high danger.

Turk stated, “When powerful tech giants introduce new technologies, such as generative artificial intelligence, human rights can be the first casualty.”

While explaining the specific threats he stated, “The threats to several human rights, including privacy, political participation, free expression and work are clear and present.”

The warning highlights the increasing global concern over the rapid development of advanced AI by a handful of dominant corporations.

Turk connected the risks of AI to a broader trend of concentrated corporate power, noting that the wealth accumulated by a few players now “exceeds the economies of entire countries.”

To address this, he urged an immediate and collaborative government action to implement safeguards and regulations, stating that without them, today’s threats could “materialize into harms that undermine the promise of emerging technologies and could unleash unpredictable consequences.”