28. Susie Alegre on the Algorithmic Assault on Human Rights: How AI Threatens Our Core Freedoms
03/09/25 • 39 min
AI technologies pose significant threats to fundamental human rights, reinforcing historical biases and power imbalances. This week, we are joined by Susie Alegre, international human rights lawyer and author, to explore the impact of generative AI on gender and racial equality, labour markets, and information ecosystems.
Susie has worked for international NGOs like Amnesty International and organisations including the UN, the EU and the Council of Europe.
Susie has published two books covering the critical issue or technology's impact on human rights; “Freedom to Think” (2022) was a Financial Times Technology Book of the Year 2022 and shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Christopher Bland Prize 2023 and “Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI ” published in 2024.
The episode covers;
- How AI systems, like ChatGPT, perpetuate gender and racial biases
- The "Pygmalion" pattern in AI design
- Potential longterm effects on skills, education and social interactions
- The rise of "ultra-processed information" and its consequences for the internet
- Legal risks and the role of effective regulation
- Enforcement in addressing AI's human rights risks
- When AI applications may be valuable—and when they are not
📅 To learn more about Susie Alegre’s work, visit:
🔗 susiealegre.com
🔗 alegre.ai
🔗 CIGI Profile
📩 [email protected]
📷 @susiealegre
💼 Linkedin: Susie Alegre
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Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPod
Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live
Contact us at [email protected]
AI technologies pose significant threats to fundamental human rights, reinforcing historical biases and power imbalances. This week, we are joined by Susie Alegre, international human rights lawyer and author, to explore the impact of generative AI on gender and racial equality, labour markets, and information ecosystems.
Susie has worked for international NGOs like Amnesty International and organisations including the UN, the EU and the Council of Europe.
Susie has published two books covering the critical issue or technology's impact on human rights; “Freedom to Think” (2022) was a Financial Times Technology Book of the Year 2022 and shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature Christopher Bland Prize 2023 and “Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI ” published in 2024.
The episode covers;
- How AI systems, like ChatGPT, perpetuate gender and racial biases
- The "Pygmalion" pattern in AI design
- Potential longterm effects on skills, education and social interactions
- The rise of "ultra-processed information" and its consequences for the internet
- Legal risks and the role of effective regulation
- Enforcement in addressing AI's human rights risks
- When AI applications may be valuable—and when they are not
📅 To learn more about Susie Alegre’s work, visit:
🔗 susiealegre.com
🔗 alegre.ai
🔗 CIGI Profile
📩 [email protected]
📷 @susiealegre
💼 Linkedin: Susie Alegre
Support us on PatreonAdvertising opportunities
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPod
Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live
Contact us at [email protected]
Previous Episode
27. Happy Human Lithuania on the Magic of Humanist Ceremonies & Growing Social Enterprises
Humanist ceremonies—weddings, namings, and funerals—are growing rapidly worldwide, offering non-religious, deeply personal ways to mark life’s most significant moments. Laimingas Žmogus (Happy Human) is a social enterprise based in Lithuania, dedicated to making these ceremonies accessible and meaningful.
This week we are delighted to be joined by Urtė Žukauskaitė-Zabukė, Founder and CEO, and Gerda Surgautaitė, Co-Founder of Laimingas Žmogus to share insights into establishing meaningful non-religious ceremonies that resonate with diverse populations and the launch of the Humanist Ceremonies Accelerator, a pioneering initiative designed to help humanist organisations around the world establish sustainable social enterprises through humanist ceremonies.
The episode covers;
- The rapid growth of humanist ceremonies globally
- Introduction of the Humanist Ceremonies Accelerator programme
- Addressing the unique challenges to secularism in Lithuania
- Inspiring stories of uniquely tailored ceremonies
- Practical advice for starting humanist social enterprises
If you’re interested in the Humanist Ceremonies Accelerator, visit the Humanist International webpage for details about participation.
Apply here by 14th March 2025: https://humanists.international/blog/join-the-humanist-ceremonies-accelerator/
Follow Laimingas Žmogus (Happy Human Lithunia)
Support us on PatreonAdvertising opportunities
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPod
Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live
Contact us at [email protected]
Next Episode
29. Faith to Faithless on Finding Community after Leaving High-Control Groups (part of Podcastathon 2025)
This special episode of Humanism Now is released as part of Podcastathon 2025, the world’s largest podcast charity initiative. We’re proud to dedicate this episode to Faith to Faithless, a programme by Humanists UK supporting those leaving high-control religious groups.
Three incredible guests—George, Leena, and Sarah—share raw, courageous accounts of their journeys out of fundamentalist religions and the new communities they're helping to build.
Faith to Faithless is proudly marking its 10th anniversary in 2025, celebrating a decade of support, solidarity, and advocacy for apostates.
⭐ Episode Highlights
- Life inside high-control religious groups
- The emotional toll of shunning and "thought crimes"
- How Faith to Faithless supports apostates across the UK
- Starting new peer groups and reclaiming lost experiences
- Why public services and mental health professionals must understand apostasy better
📺 Introducing Faith to Faithless | Helping people leaving high-control religious groups (2 mins)
Need support?
If you or someone you know has been affected by the topics discussed in this episode, Faith to Faithless are here to help.
Faith to Faithless Helpline (UK): 0800 448 0748
📞Opening hours (Wed 10am–1pm, Thu 4pm–7pm, Fri 8am–11am)
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 More info: www.faithtofaithless.com
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Also mentioned in this episode:
- Recovering from Religion offers peer and professional support offering hope, healing, and support to those struggling with issues of doubt and non-belief. Contact RFR here.
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Podcastathon is the world’s largest podcast charity initiative — a global wave of inspiring episodes released simultaneously by podcasters everywhere, all in support of causes they care about.
The aim? To raise awareness for hundreds of charities by uniting storytellers in one powerful, coordinated moment each March.
🎧 Be part of the movement: podcasthon.org/register
Let’s amplify stories that matter.
Support us on PatreonAdvertising opportunities
Click here to submit questions, nominate guest & topics.
Follow Humanism Now @HumanismNowPod
Humanism Now is produced by Humanise Live
Contact us at [email protected]
Humanism Now - 28. Susie Alegre on the Algorithmic Assault on Human Rights: How AI Threatens Our Core Freedoms
Transcript
Susie Allegre is an international human rights lawyer , author and thought leader at the intersection of technology and human rights . A patron of Humanist UK , susie was one of the keynote speakers at the 2023 Humanist UK convention , where she delivered a highly thought-provoking talk drawn from her first book , freedom to Think .
James Hodgson<If you like this episode you’ll love
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