Introducing iGlobal.Lawyer!

"Artificial intelligence can greatly enhance our abilities to live the life we desire. But it can also destroy them. It therefore requires strict regulations to avoid morphing in a modern Frankenstein’s monster." - Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe Former Commissioner on Human Rights (2018–2024)

Nice to meet you, I am Maria Sara Neri, the founder of iGlobal.Lawyer! 

I am a 24-year-old Italian student, currently enrolled in the final year of Master’s in Law with specialization in International & Comparative Law, and writing the thesis on the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and Fundamental Rights in the European Union. Since the first year of University, I have been researching about the innovation-related challenges having a tangible impact on the protection of Human Rights because it is simply how world works these days: innovation is both the starting point and the ultimate goal.

Since 2019, I have been engaged in the field of Human Rights Advocacy because I believe that each of us can play a unique and crucial role in making the world a more fair and just place for everyone, however, the social challenges that existed until yesterday are now taking new nuances and they are progressively assuming new forms; therefore, I stand by the belief that our role as Human Rights Advocates must acknowledge this and transform all this potential into a strength rather than a weakness.

Given the latest developments under the spotlight nowadays, Artificial Intelligence and the other emerging technologies constitute our present focus with the aim of ensuring that as the global innovation landscape evolves, so too does our commitment to Justice.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a double-edged sword:

it promises efficiency on one hand while posing threats to Justice and equality on the other

The real debate is not about whether to accept or reject the existence of AI, but rather how to frame the use without ending up being subjected to it, because the more AI continues to permeate our daily lives, the more its propensity to interfere with our rights becomes pervasive and dangerous.

iGlobal.Lawyer is an editorial project where we will be delving into topics such as: the technical meaning of the widely used--at first glance, vague--term of "new technologies"; the deeply rooted connection between the need to shape the future relationship between technology & democracy; how the use of AI technology and Machine Learning (ML) has the multiplier potential to bring about revolutionary changes in the field of Human Rights but also to undermine democratic societies based on respect for the rule of law; how science, technological development, Law, public policy, and ethics are not independent fields that occasionally overlap but rather interdependent vessels.

But,

which is the interconnection between Law and Human Rights Advocacy?

Law affects and is affected by the development and deployment of AI in contemporary life and it is a necessary tool to be used in order to regulate and frame the influence of innovation on Human Rights. Therefore, our mission is to make this highly complex field understandable for every Human Rights Advocate who is seeking an objective perspective on navigating this--'new'--unfolding era.

While acknowledging the complexity and uncertainty featuring new technologies, as well as the acute risk that they may cause if (un)intentionally misused or abused, we have the goal to create a platform where studying the related consequences with a Human Rights-centered lens.

The close interconnection between Law and Human Rights Advocacy lies in the fact to actually (re)align the goals of science and technology with those of human societies: Law is capable of ensuring the effective regulation of certain developments within well-established tracks, playing a decisive action both in the design and operation of these--'new'--"intelligent" systems, ending up to result as a necessary tool to regulate the effectiveness of Human Rights Advocacy before this new major threat.

And,

between an Advocate and a Lawyer?

We are used to thinking that the Advocate’s role and the Lawyer’s one have nothing to do with each other and that these two social figures are far from each other, but the reality is more nuanced than that.

Take a second to think about the following questions: Don't you agree that both the Advocate and the Lawyer work to uphold and safeguard the Human Rights of the individual they represent/they speak up for? Don't you think that only the tools change but the essence is the same? our rights; Don't you think that both the Advocate and the Lawyer act to mainly have a social impact on the fabric of society?

Advocacy is about being the voice for the voiceless, defending the Fundamental Rights to which everyone is entitled--championing social causes through different forms and platforms. On the other hand, Lawyer’s work lies on of upholding their clients' rights before a court (technical specification: for a matter of accuracy, the technical English term referring to a qualified legal professional who is licensed to practice Law and represent clients in courts is 'Attorney'), through specific tools and having a specific academic background that, nonetheless, don't change the preminent social function embedded in his/her work.

If we don’t take the plunge, how will we ever innovate?

The challenges are complex but not impossible, and we must remain hopeful--albeit, pragmatic and objective--that with perseverance, Advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law, it's possible to create a more inclusive and just society where the Agenda 2030 can become a concrete reality and not remain a dead letter.