COMMENT CAUSE FOR HOPE AI ACCOUNTABILITY TOOLKIT
Governments are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision- making systems to shape everyday life, often with little transparency or oversight. In response, Amnesty has launched its Algorithmic Accountability Toolkit, which is designed to help rights defenders, activists and communities expose and challenge harmful AI systems in public services, including welfare, policing, healthcare and education. The toolkit shows how AI systems, promoted as efficient and objective, frequently produce bias, exclusion and discrimination. When they fail, they can enable mass surveillance, restrict peaceful protest and disproportionately harm marginalised communities – often leaving people in the dark about how decisions are made and how to seek redress.
The toolkit offers guidance on uncovering opaque algorithms alongside a ‘how to’ guide for pursuing accountability through advocacy, campaigning and litigation. Crucially, it grounds its approach in international human rights law, arguing that ethical AI frameworks are no substitute for legally binding standards. Damini Satija, programme director at Amnesty Tech, said: ‘This toolkit is about democratising knowledge and ensuring technology does not come at the expense of human rights.’
This toolkit is about democratising knowledge
It is with mixed feelings that I write my first column as interim chief executive of Amnesty International UK. It’s a huge honour to be leading this wonderful organisation, which I have been part of for more than 25 years, and I’m excited to be taking forward our work to protect and promote human rights. But at the same time, I come into this role at a dark moment in our history, where we are seeing a rising authoritarian tide around the world and diminishing respect for the rule of law – from the human rights emergency in the USA (see opposite), to the recent deadly suppression of dissent in Iran (page 8). Resisting this trend is a priority for our movement. But as well as resistance to those who would take away our rights, it is also our role to present an alternative, progressive vision of the world, one which believes in healthy, safe societies built on a respect for individual dignity and justice.
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A graphic depicting algorithmic concerns and injustices
So while there is much to worry about, I would also join Philippe Sands (page 28) in arguing there is cause for hope. Look no further than the inspiring people who make up our Amnesty movement – including Esther Kiobel (page 20) and the five campaigners we profile ahead of International Women’s Day (page 24). And that, of course, includes all our supporters. In this issue you can read about great things people are doing as part of the Amnesty family, people such as Hugo Lodge from the BBC’s The Traitors (page 40) and members of the Glasgow West group, which has just marked its fiftieth birthday (page 39). This issue also sees the return of our Real Lives feature, which includes human rights defenders wrongly imprisoned and people fighting for justice (page 30). If you can spare some time, please write, email or post your support for them. Thank you.
Kerry Moscogiuri, interim chief executive SPRING 2026 AMNESTY 5
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