TL;DR:
- Recent reports investigate the human and financial costs of AI in migration.
- The deployment of AI in managing migration contributes to instability and discriminatory border procedures.
- Surveillance technologies are misused to curtail civic space and freedom of expression.
- EU’s strategy involves providing security tools to countries with escalating repression.
- Military and security technologies do not stop migration, but make it more dangerous.
- Despite evidence of human rights violations, EU focuses on expanding the use of surveillance technologies.
- Border management has become a billion-euro business sponsored by the EU taxpayer.
- Projects funded by the EU aim to enhance capabilities in social media monitoring, fingerprint collection, and more.
Main AI News:
The ethical implications surrounding the utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have ignited intense debates in recent months. Whether it be chatbots or software for generating images, proponents and critics have engaged in discussions about the technological advantages and societal drawbacks of this emerging technology.
In a pair of recently published reports, EuroMed Rights, Statewatch, and independent researcher Antonella Napolitano have delved into the human and financial costs associated with AI in the context of migration. These reports shed light on how the implementation of AI to manage migration flows actively contributes to instability in the Middle East and North African region. Additionally, they highlight the discriminatory border procedures and the loss of thousands of lives each year.
The European Union (EU) has long been at the forefront of externalizing migration control policies in the Middle East and North Africa region. Increasingly, surveillance technology has assumed a crucial role in the EU’s approach to migration beyond its borders. However, the deployment of surveillance technologies in these countries, ostensibly aimed at combating human trafficking, smuggling, or terrorism, often veers off course from their intended purpose. Fragile democracies and authoritarian governments exploit these technologies to restrict civic space and impede freedom of expression for activists, journalists, and human rights defenders.
The recent negotiations between the EU and Tunisia serve as yet another illustration of the unchanging strategy pursued by European member states. Millions of euros are exchanged for drones, patrol boats, and helicopters to track migrants and stem migratory flows. The EU is essentially providing security and military tools to a country experiencing a regression towards authoritarianism, where the suppression of civic space and democratic freedoms is on the rise. This kind of support, including the ongoing BMP-Maghreb project, has been extended to Tunisia and other Maghreb countries for years under the European Trust Fund for Africa.
The compatibility between techno-borders and human rights is a pressing question that warrants consideration. Decades of bolstering the EU’s borders have consistently demonstrated that military, security, and defense tools or technologies do not halt migration; they merely render it more perilous and lethal. The International Organization for Migration reports that the first quarter of 2023 marked the deadliest period since 2017 in the Central Mediterranean. Despite this evidence, the security and surveillance apparatus is expected to expand further. New studies and research commissioned by the EU, such as the one conducted by consultancy firm Deloitte, primarily focus on refining, optimizing, and expanding the utilization of these technologies, including AI, even in the face of human rights violations, inaccuracies, or failures to perform as promised.
The management of borders has transformed into a lucrative business bolstered by EU taxpayers’ funding. The external dimension of migration and border control has attracted substantial financial resources. The European Union has allocated billions of euros, initially through the €5 billion EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa established in 2015 to tackle migration and strengthen border management. Subsequently, the Neighbourhood, Development, and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) have set aside approximately 10 percent of its total budget, amounting to nearly €80 billion, for governance related to migration.
EuroMed Rights’ report titled “Artificial Intelligence: the new frontier of the EU’s border externalization strategy” reveals that countries in the Middle East and North Africa have received multimillion-euro projects aimed at enhancing the capabilities of third countries’ authorities in various areas. These projects encompass social media and open-source intelligence, fingerprint collection, mobile phone data extraction, and other investigation techniques.
Conclusion:
The ethical challenges posed by AI in migration have significant implications for the market. The reports highlight the misuse of surveillance technologies and the negative consequences they have on human rights and societal stability. As the EU continues to allocate substantial funds to border management, businesses involved in the development and deployment of surveillance technologies stand to benefit financially. However, increasing concerns about human rights violations and the ineffective nature of these technologies could lead to greater scrutiny and demands for more ethical and accountable solutions in the market. This creates an opportunity for businesses to develop AI tools that prioritize human rights, accuracy, and the overall well-being of migrants, while also addressing the security concerns of governments and organizations involved in migration management.
