Description
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming technology but also raising serious human rights concerns, particularly in the Global South. This paper contends that current AI development practices—relying heavily on low-cost labor and resource-intensive processes—aggravate global inequalities and infringe on the rights of marginalized communities. Essential tasks, such as data labeling and processing, are frequently outsourced to workers in countries like India, Kenya, and the Philippines, who endure low wages, limited protections, and precarious conditions. This model exemplifies “AI colonialism,” where benefits of AI advancements accrue in the Global North, while the Global South bears the environmental and economic burdens. The environmental toll is also significant. Training large AI models consumes vast energy resources, worsening ecological degradation in already climate-vulnerable regions. This exacerbates environmental inequalities and depletes natural resources, further entrenching cycles of exploitation and underdevelopment in these areas. This paper advocates for concrete reforms: the establishment of international labor standards, transparency throughout AI supply chains, and environmentally sustainable practices that respect the rights and dignity of workers in the Global South. It emphasizes the urgency of action, warning that, without systemic change, AI risks becoming a tool of exploitation rather than a force for global progress. The paper calls upon governments, international organizations, and the AI industry to adopt a human rights-based approach, ensuring that AI development supports a fair and sustainable future for all.
