General information
Course type | AMUPIE |
Module title | Human Rights, Artificial Intelligence and Neurotechnology - An Interdisciplinary Perspectives |
Language | English |
Module lecturer | dr Łukasz Szoszkiewicz |
Lecturer's email | ls36842@st.amu.edu.pl |
Lecturer position | |
Faculty | Faculty of Law and Administration |
Semester | 2025/2026 (winter) |
Duration | 30 |
ECTS | 8 |
USOS code | 10-HRT-w-Erasm |
Timetable
Module aim (aims)
In today's world, digital technologies—such as Artificial Intelligence, neurotechnology, biometric recognition systems, and credit scoring systems—are seamlessly integrating into our daily lives, often without our conscious awareness. This course is designed to equip students with a comprehensive understanding of how these technologies impact human rights.
The curriculum is structured into two distinct modules:
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Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Science: This module introduces students to the fundamentals of programming and algorithms, providing them with essential practical skills. Students will engage in hands-on laboratory sessions, utilizing Google Colab—a cloud-based platform that facilitates Python programming directly in the browser without the need for local setup. These sessions include: basics of Natural Language Processing (analyzing text as data) and designing own AI model for predicting outcomes of European Court of Human Rights. Through these practical exercises, students will confront the dilemmas and challenges inherent in AI development.
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International Human Rights Law: The focus of this module will be on enhancing skills in analyzing legal texts and case law, and juxtaposing them with scientific publications to better understand the legal implications of emerging technologies and their potential societal impact.
By the end of this course, students will have developed an understanding of the complex relationship between digital technologies and human rights, preparing them to contribute to national and global discussions and initiatives in this critical area.
Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)
Background knowledge of basic concepts of International Human Rights Law and/or International Law. Having strong analytical skills is advisable.
Syllabus
Week 1: Introduction to the Course
Week 2: Scientific Progress, Technology, and Society
Week 3: Foundations of Natural Language Processing [Google Colab Workshop]
Week 4: Building AI Models to Predict ECHR Case Outcomes: Part I [Google Colab Workshop]
Week 5: Building AI Models to Predict ECHR Case Outcomes: Part II [Google Colab Workshop]
Week 6: Legal Frameworks for Regulating Digital Technologies (EU, Council of Europe, UN)
Week 7: AI in the Administration of Justice: Predictive Policing
Week 8: AI in the Administration of Justice: Impact Risk Assessments
Week 9: AI in the Administration of Justice: Biometric Identification Systems
Week 10: Open Space Discussion & Group Project Selection
Week 11: Neurorights I: Neuroscience and Human Rights
Week 12: Neurorights II: Consumer Neurotechnology and Human Rights Implications
Week 13: Neurorights III: Mental Privacy and Freedom of Thought
Week 14: Group Project Presentations and Discussions
Week 15: Group Project Presentations and Final Discussions
Reading list
- E. Mollick, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, Portfolio, 2024.
- S. Wolfram, What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work?, 14 February 2023.
- M. Medvedeva, Identification, Categorisation and Forecasting of Court Decisions, University of Groningen, 2022.
- FRA, “Data quality and artificial intelligence – mitigating bias and error to protect fundamental rights”, 2019.
- J. Salganik, Observing Behavior [in:] M. J. Salganik, “Bit by Bit: Social Research in the Digital Age”, Princeton University Press, 2019.
- Harvard Law Review, State v. Loomis, vol. 130, 2017: 1530-1538.
- M. van Bekkum, F. Zuiderveen Borgesius, Digital Welfare Fraud Detection and the Dutch SyRI Judgment, “European Journal of Social Security”, vol. 23(4), 2021: 323–40.
- W. Youyou, M. Kosinski, D. Stillwell, Computers judge personalities better than humans, “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences”, vol. 112 (4), 2015: 1036-1040.
- UNESCO, The risks and challenges of neurotechnologies for human rights, 2023.
- Neurorights Foundation, Safeguarding Brain Data: Assessing the Privacy Practices of Consumer Neurotechnology Companies, 2024.
Videos:
- Selected videos from the Alan Turing Institute, Turing Lectures Series.
- Selected videos from the SICSS Learning Materials, 2020-2025.