Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Legal Personhood, Responsibility, and Global Governance

Yousefi, Anita; Afshani, Farideh

doi:10.5281/zenodo.20616375

Human Rights in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Legal Personhood, Responsibility, and Global Governance

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Anita Yousefi ¹

Farideh Afshani ²

¹ PhD student in Public International Law, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Alborz, Iran

² Ph.D. Student in Public International Law, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

10.5281/zenodo.20616375

Abstract

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems into core societal institutions—from criminal justice and welfare administration to employment and border governance—has generated unprecedented challenges for international human rights law. This article examines three intersecting dimensions of the AI-human rights nexus: the contested question of AI legal personhood, the allocation of responsibility for AI-induced harms across complex value chains, and the evolving architecture of global AI governance. Drawing on the Council of Europe's Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence (2024), the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as applied to AI (2025), and emerging regulatory frameworks including the EU AI Act, this analysis argues that granting legal personhood to AI systems is neither necessary nor desirable for effective accountability. Instead, a functional approach that mandates human rights due diligence throughout the AI lifecycle, establishes accessible remedy mechanisms for affected individuals, and promotes regulatory coherence across jurisdictions offers a more promising pathway. The article synthesises findings from a doctrinal analysis of 45 international legal instruments, UN reports, and scholarly sources to propose a rights-based governance framework centred on mandatory human rights impact assessments, independent oversight, and meaningful stakeholder engagement with affected communities.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence

Human Rights

Legal Personhood

Global Governance

Human Rights Due Diligence

Subjects

AI Research

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