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Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI
'Utterly brilliant' Helena Kennedy
'Thought-provoking, challenging and very humane' Michael Wooldridge
'A brilliant expose' Roger McNamee
No longer an uncertain technology of the distant future, artificial intelligence is starting to shape every aspect of our daily lives, from how we think to who we love.
In this urgent polemic, leading barrister Susie Alegre explores the ways in which artificial intelligence threatens our fundamental human rights - including the rights to life, liberty and fair trial; the right to private and family life; and the right to free expression - and how we protect those rights.
Touching on the many profound ethical dilemmas posed by emerging technologies, and full of fascinating case studies, Human Rights, Robot Wrongs is a rallying cry for humanity in the age of AI.
'Thought-provoking, challenging and very humane' Michael Wooldridge
'A brilliant expose' Roger McNamee
No longer an uncertain technology of the distant future, artificial intelligence is starting to shape every aspect of our daily lives, from how we think to who we love.
In this urgent polemic, leading barrister Susie Alegre explores the ways in which artificial intelligence threatens our fundamental human rights - including the rights to life, liberty and fair trial; the right to private and family life; and the right to free expression - and how we protect those rights.
Touching on the many profound ethical dilemmas posed by emerging technologies, and full of fascinating case studies, Human Rights, Robot Wrongs is a rallying cry for humanity in the age of AI.
227 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2024
About the author
Susie Alegre
8 books19 followersSusie Alegre is a leading international
human rights lawyer who has worked for
NGOs and international organisations
around the world on some of the most
challenging human rights issues of our
time. She has been a legal pioneer in
the field of digital rights and is a Senior
Fellow at the Centre for International
Governance Innovation and a Research
Fellow at the University of Roehampton.
Susie’s first book, Freedom to Think, received
wide acclaim, was chosen as a Book of
the Year in the Financial Times and the
Telegraph, longlisted for the Moore Prize for
Human Rights Writing and shortlisted
for the RSL Christopher Bland Prize.
human rights lawyer who has worked for
NGOs and international organisations
around the world on some of the most
challenging human rights issues of our
time. She has been a legal pioneer in
the field of digital rights and is a Senior
Fellow at the Centre for International
Governance Innovation and a Research
Fellow at the University of Roehampton.
Susie’s first book, Freedom to Think, received
wide acclaim, was chosen as a Book of
the Year in the Financial Times and the
Telegraph, longlisted for the Moore Prize for
Human Rights Writing and shortlisted
for the RSL Christopher Bland Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
March 13, 2024
I got this for review on netgally.
I'm a bit uncomfortable with the whole AI thing and when I saw this arc I was more then intruiged to read it. It shifts from diffrent ways of AI, the good and the bad and do start a good conversation. I learned a lot I didn't know about AI. I recommend this book if your interested in hearing more about it and what can go wrong.
I'm a bit uncomfortable with the whole AI thing and when I saw this arc I was more then intruiged to read it. It shifts from diffrent ways of AI, the good and the bad and do start a good conversation. I learned a lot I didn't know about AI. I recommend this book if your interested in hearing more about it and what can go wrong.
April 7, 2026
Over the past year, I’ve read several excellent critical reflections on artificial intelligence (AI) from a range of perspectives, including Cathy O’Neil’s
Weapons of Math Destruction
, Jeanette Winterson’s
12 Bytes
, Madhumita Murgia’s
Code Dependent
, and Meredith Broussard’s
Artificial Unintelligence
. In Human Rights, Robot Wrongs: Being Human in the Age of AI, Susie Alegre adds a human-rights perspective to this body of work, with a focus on what we must do to protect humanity. Published in 2023, the book appeared after the Covid-19 pandemic and the release of ChatGPT, but before Donald Trump’s second presidency in the United States. As I read it, I couldn’t help but see Alegre’s argument against the backdrop of the current power struggle of big technology companies and the erosion of international law.
Alegre emphasises that the impact of AI goes beyond bias and discrimination, freedom of expression, and privacy. It touches other human rights too, including – but not limited to – the rights to a fair trial, health, liberty, and work. She develops this argument through a range of topics, from AI weapons and automated decision-making in the justice system to deepfake porn and human relationships with AI. (Spoiler: the company is in control, not you.) She also pays attention to the position of artists, warning against the ‘harvesting of human creativity’, as well as the possible consequences of data being lost or sold. (Again, everything you do on your phone can be bought by companies you’ve never even heard of.)
In the final chapters, Alegre turns to the environmental and human costs of AI. Her remark that smartphones are made possible through child labour left me – and the author herself, too – in an uncomfortable position, one to which I don’t have an immediate answer. The same is true of AI’s energy consumption, which is estimated to be comparable to that of Argentina or the Netherlands in 2027. Alegre ends by referring to some upcoming legal frameworks, including the European Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. (Go Europe!) We must remember that AI is not magic, but designed, created, and used by people, and that it needs to serve – and not subvert – them.
Although I was already familiar with most of Alegre’s themes, I appreciated her clear style and the use of examples. For readers seeking an introduction, I would recommend Winterson’s book, though Alegre would be a good choice too. She is especially perceptive when it comes to the effects of AI on our self-awareness, for example with regard to the ‘pygmalion displacement’, the process of humanising AI while dehumanising ourselves (notably women). That reminded me of Michael Sandel’s idea about the corruption of values in What Money Can't Buy , a book that left a strong impression on me at the time.
Turing’s test is founded on our perception of a machine as human, not on the actual humanity of the machine. It is, essentially, about mimicry; the human power to create something that could fool other humans. People, it seems, are very good at that. If we want to survive, we need to learn how not to be fooled.
Alegre emphasises that the impact of AI goes beyond bias and discrimination, freedom of expression, and privacy. It touches other human rights too, including – but not limited to – the rights to a fair trial, health, liberty, and work. She develops this argument through a range of topics, from AI weapons and automated decision-making in the justice system to deepfake porn and human relationships with AI. (Spoiler: the company is in control, not you.) She also pays attention to the position of artists, warning against the ‘harvesting of human creativity’, as well as the possible consequences of data being lost or sold. (Again, everything you do on your phone can be bought by companies you’ve never even heard of.)
In the final chapters, Alegre turns to the environmental and human costs of AI. Her remark that smartphones are made possible through child labour left me – and the author herself, too – in an uncomfortable position, one to which I don’t have an immediate answer. The same is true of AI’s energy consumption, which is estimated to be comparable to that of Argentina or the Netherlands in 2027. Alegre ends by referring to some upcoming legal frameworks, including the European Convention on Artificial Intelligence, Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. (Go Europe!) We must remember that AI is not magic, but designed, created, and used by people, and that it needs to serve – and not subvert – them.
Although I was already familiar with most of Alegre’s themes, I appreciated her clear style and the use of examples. For readers seeking an introduction, I would recommend Winterson’s book, though Alegre would be a good choice too. She is especially perceptive when it comes to the effects of AI on our self-awareness, for example with regard to the ‘pygmalion displacement’, the process of humanising AI while dehumanising ourselves (notably women). That reminded me of Michael Sandel’s idea about the corruption of values in What Money Can't Buy , a book that left a strong impression on me at the time.
June 23, 2024
It was a good book to read, I think it has a lot of food for thought.
April 1, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for an uncorrected digital galley in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Before I begin my review, I want to clarify that I am a healthcare professional with a research portfolio that focuses on ethical use of artificial intelligence. So, I am by no means uncritical to the negative aspects or possibilities of runaway artificial intelligence use. Quite the opposite, I often advocate for a slow-down of development as a trade-off for safety. However, I felt that Human Rights, Robot Wrongs reads incredibly biased against technological development.
The positives: Alegre does a great job introducing a wide range of topics across the technology spectrum, from military AI to carebots. In particular, chapter 8 entitled "Magic Pixie Dust" handles its topic well. This is where Alegre discusses pressing matters of modern-day slavery, environmental impacts, and other consequences and choices that are kept "out of sight and out of mind". These aren't discussed enough, and certainly not enough in public facing books like this one.
The negatives: In covering so many topics, Alegre can only provide each topic a surface-level scan. However, in doing so, I fear the book assumes its audience can't handle important and necessary details and nuance. I've taught a general AI Ethics course for 1st and 2nd year undergraduates, which covers nearly everything this book does in a wide scope, surface-level approach. If one of my students presented me with a paper written like these chapters, I'd criticize it for being uncharitable to opposing arguments and the field.
Before I begin my review, I want to clarify that I am a healthcare professional with a research portfolio that focuses on ethical use of artificial intelligence. So, I am by no means uncritical to the negative aspects or possibilities of runaway artificial intelligence use. Quite the opposite, I often advocate for a slow-down of development as a trade-off for safety. However, I felt that Human Rights, Robot Wrongs reads incredibly biased against technological development.
The positives: Alegre does a great job introducing a wide range of topics across the technology spectrum, from military AI to carebots. In particular, chapter 8 entitled "Magic Pixie Dust" handles its topic well. This is where Alegre discusses pressing matters of modern-day slavery, environmental impacts, and other consequences and choices that are kept "out of sight and out of mind". These aren't discussed enough, and certainly not enough in public facing books like this one.
The negatives: In covering so many topics, Alegre can only provide each topic a surface-level scan. However, in doing so, I fear the book assumes its audience can't handle important and necessary details and nuance. I've taught a general AI Ethics course for 1st and 2nd year undergraduates, which covers nearly everything this book does in a wide scope, surface-level approach. If one of my students presented me with a paper written like these chapters, I'd criticize it for being uncharitable to opposing arguments and the field.
September 1, 2025
i really enjoyed this book! it gives a good overview into some interesting cases and questions concerning artificial intelligence, i do wish the topics were explored with more depth, as it is well written yet accessible. i'm quite curious as to what has changed since it was finished, and plan to read more about the topic :)
March 21, 2024
Thank you to both #NetGalley and Atlantic Books for providing me an advance copy of renowned human rights #lawyer Susie Alegre’s #nonfiction work, Human Rights, Robot Wrongs
A Manifesto for Humanity in the Age of AI, in exchange for an honest review.
#HumanRightsRobotWrongs argues that human rights law should be enshrined in the foundation, legislation, and the lens through which global societies view and oversee AI and other emerging technologies. The book contains nine chapters, which each tackle a separate designated purpose for AI, such as sex robots (e.g., dating app #algorithms, #deepfake porn) and killer robots (e.g., drones, #VR combat). Then describes the human rights issues associated with those technologies.
The author prefaces that the content is an analysis of #AI with a “human slant” rather than a technological discussion. It is clear she is passionate and extremely knowledgeable about human rights law. Despite the disclaimer, it is difficult to refrain from criticizing the lack of technological material given the work’s title and subject matter. It also may have bolstered her recommendations. Instead, the reader was treated to surface level anecdotes that offered some interesting facts, but no new solutions—only sweeping generalities that have been repeated ad nauseum throughout legal tech communities as well as the work itself.
As mentioned in the introduction, the book was intended for laypersons and those unfamiliar with the risks of deploying AI systems. The author has a knack for simplifying otherwise tedious topics and creating an intriguing story. It is a good read for those interested in the potential ramifications to human rights and how to recognize when the effects of a technology may be depriving society of one or more of those rights.
For readers who are better versed on the subject, however, it makes for a brief read, but will not necessarily provide any novel information. Additionally, there are some glaring errors when glossing over the technological components that may detract from the overall message for those with deeper insight. On a personal and final note, I only wish that the verve of the introduction had been sustained throughout the work.
A Manifesto for Humanity in the Age of AI, in exchange for an honest review.
#HumanRightsRobotWrongs argues that human rights law should be enshrined in the foundation, legislation, and the lens through which global societies view and oversee AI and other emerging technologies. The book contains nine chapters, which each tackle a separate designated purpose for AI, such as sex robots (e.g., dating app #algorithms, #deepfake porn) and killer robots (e.g., drones, #VR combat). Then describes the human rights issues associated with those technologies.
The author prefaces that the content is an analysis of #AI with a “human slant” rather than a technological discussion. It is clear she is passionate and extremely knowledgeable about human rights law. Despite the disclaimer, it is difficult to refrain from criticizing the lack of technological material given the work’s title and subject matter. It also may have bolstered her recommendations. Instead, the reader was treated to surface level anecdotes that offered some interesting facts, but no new solutions—only sweeping generalities that have been repeated ad nauseum throughout legal tech communities as well as the work itself.
As mentioned in the introduction, the book was intended for laypersons and those unfamiliar with the risks of deploying AI systems. The author has a knack for simplifying otherwise tedious topics and creating an intriguing story. It is a good read for those interested in the potential ramifications to human rights and how to recognize when the effects of a technology may be depriving society of one or more of those rights.
For readers who are better versed on the subject, however, it makes for a brief read, but will not necessarily provide any novel information. Additionally, there are some glaring errors when glossing over the technological components that may detract from the overall message for those with deeper insight. On a personal and final note, I only wish that the verve of the introduction had been sustained throughout the work.
September 7, 2024
I was recommended this book by a colleague who had learned about it and promptly bought copies for both of us. I am incredibly uneasy (and this is an understatement) about AI. I am happy to use it as a time-saving workplace tool, but am 100% against using it to train AI or to generate images which scrape the work of artists from the Internet to be re-purposed without their consent. I am also against the taking of academic or creative content of any other form. People have worked to create academic papers, novels, paintings, music and they are losing their rights over and to it.
As a poet and writer, I am happy to have my work shared and used for the purposes for which it is intended. I write about domestic violence, that which I grew up with, and that with which I still live. I write about the suicide of my son, the stigmatisation of mental illness and of those bereaved through suicide. These are important topics which touch so many. Share these stories. Share humanity.
However, AI is much more sinister. It takes the work of women without naming them, thus silencing their voices again. Women's stories are being lost, obliterated, in favour of the voices of men. AI is privileging the voices of men, the dominant cultures and belief patterns over the voices of others. Alegre talks passionately and persuasively about this, even using her own academic work and experiences as examples.
Her writing style is easy to read and her chapters divided up into the different forms/uses of AI. There is, for example, a chapter about the insidious rise of deep fake pornography and sex robots where consent is not considered.
If you are interested in new technology, the rights of women and creators everywhere, then this is the book for you. You do not need to have a scientific of computer science background and you will come away having learned what is happening now and what might be possible.
As a poet and writer, I am happy to have my work shared and used for the purposes for which it is intended. I write about domestic violence, that which I grew up with, and that with which I still live. I write about the suicide of my son, the stigmatisation of mental illness and of those bereaved through suicide. These are important topics which touch so many. Share these stories. Share humanity.
However, AI is much more sinister. It takes the work of women without naming them, thus silencing their voices again. Women's stories are being lost, obliterated, in favour of the voices of men. AI is privileging the voices of men, the dominant cultures and belief patterns over the voices of others. Alegre talks passionately and persuasively about this, even using her own academic work and experiences as examples.
Her writing style is easy to read and her chapters divided up into the different forms/uses of AI. There is, for example, a chapter about the insidious rise of deep fake pornography and sex robots where consent is not considered.
If you are interested in new technology, the rights of women and creators everywhere, then this is the book for you. You do not need to have a scientific of computer science background and you will come away having learned what is happening now and what might be possible.
April 18, 2024
‘Human Rights, Robot Wrongs’ delves into the connections between human rights and the past, present, and future of AI. Covering everything from an overview of the risks and benefits of AI to surprising case studies of the recent past, to potential negative impacts of AI on human rights now and in the future.
Susie Alegre provides a comprehensive yet largely anecdotal overview, detailed yet accessible in a manner that proves useful to those who know little about AI and to those well-versed alike.
I chose to request this arc as I've been actively seeking to learn more about the growing field of AI. This book proved to be an excellent starting point for my own education, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to educate themselves.
AI has, continues to, and likely always will impact our day-to-day lives, thus increasingly shaping the ways in which our human rights play out and protect us. Educating ourselves is vital, and this book is as good a place as any to start.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.
Susie Alegre provides a comprehensive yet largely anecdotal overview, detailed yet accessible in a manner that proves useful to those who know little about AI and to those well-versed alike.
I chose to request this arc as I've been actively seeking to learn more about the growing field of AI. This book proved to be an excellent starting point for my own education, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to educate themselves.
AI has, continues to, and likely always will impact our day-to-day lives, thus increasingly shaping the ways in which our human rights play out and protect us. Educating ourselves is vital, and this book is as good a place as any to start.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.
January 30, 2025
4 Stars/
84%
A collection of essays focussing on the future of AI in terms of human rights; in the light of humans wants, lust, and a desire for our own self destruction. Enlightening, and clear in the objectives of showing range of uses to which AI is already being used and how much further it can go.
While it doesn't necessarily address what we can do about it at the moment, I'm not convinced that was the goal of the book. It was a poster board, a sign to the world about the 'unstoppable-force' that is entirely our work.
Also AI seems to be another tool to get as much money for a very select number of people, while exploiting a lot more people and their resources. It is another tool for control just in another wrapper, another tool to crush the rights of women (in a myriad of rather sinister ways), and something that needs to be treated as such. This book did a beautiful job of illustrating that AI is a tool - not a silver bullet - and a tool that can cause immense harm, as well as unparalleled good.
Lets hope we know what we are doing.
84%
A collection of essays focussing on the future of AI in terms of human rights; in the light of humans wants, lust, and a desire for our own self destruction. Enlightening, and clear in the objectives of showing range of uses to which AI is already being used and how much further it can go.
While it doesn't necessarily address what we can do about it at the moment, I'm not convinced that was the goal of the book. It was a poster board, a sign to the world about the 'unstoppable-force' that is entirely our work.
Also AI seems to be another tool to get as much money for a very select number of people, while exploiting a lot more people and their resources. It is another tool for control just in another wrapper, another tool to crush the rights of women (in a myriad of rather sinister ways), and something that needs to be treated as such. This book did a beautiful job of illustrating that AI is a tool - not a silver bullet - and a tool that can cause immense harm, as well as unparalleled good.
Lets hope we know what we are doing.
May 14, 2024
Human Rights, Robot Wrongs is a short, thought provoking book. It takes a potentially complex topic and makes it accessible and engaging for the general reader. Like Susie Alegre's other book, Freedom to Think, this book never feels like a chore.
We learn about a robot boyfriend learning coercive control from human users. Supportive robot friends who will offer encouragement no matter what, even if you're contemplating murder. And human lawyers relying on ChatGPT hallucinations in court. Terrifyingly, the scenarios featured are not just things that could happen: they already have.
We are hearing so much about AI and ChatGPT, and this book answered a lot of questions that I had. What actually counts as AI? What are the implications for the environment? Is it a bit of harmless fun that can save us time and effort, or something much more sinister?
To build the future we want to live in, we all need to be informed about the implications of AI. This book is a great place to start
We learn about a robot boyfriend learning coercive control from human users. Supportive robot friends who will offer encouragement no matter what, even if you're contemplating murder. And human lawyers relying on ChatGPT hallucinations in court. Terrifyingly, the scenarios featured are not just things that could happen: they already have.
We are hearing so much about AI and ChatGPT, and this book answered a lot of questions that I had. What actually counts as AI? What are the implications for the environment? Is it a bit of harmless fun that can save us time and effort, or something much more sinister?
To build the future we want to live in, we all need to be informed about the implications of AI. This book is a great place to start
April 24, 2024
This is an important book and in today's world, an essential read I would say.
It is a brilliant compilation of the public cases we have had involving AI and how these cases gives us a glimpse on how this technological advancement is gonna affect our human rights going forward.
In a professional setting, as a scientist, we always talk about how brilliant new technologies are in making our jobs many times more efficient and how AI is a key tool in helping us solve world problems. However, we fail to look at how catastrophic AI can be if misused - and it has already been misused plenty. Using technology effectively and for the good needs to involve policing it and monitoring it and for our laws to adapt just as quickly, this is not happening - so works like this book bring in important conversations and makes us aware of the current and potential issues.
It is a brilliant compilation of the public cases we have had involving AI and how these cases gives us a glimpse on how this technological advancement is gonna affect our human rights going forward.
In a professional setting, as a scientist, we always talk about how brilliant new technologies are in making our jobs many times more efficient and how AI is a key tool in helping us solve world problems. However, we fail to look at how catastrophic AI can be if misused - and it has already been misused plenty. Using technology effectively and for the good needs to involve policing it and monitoring it and for our laws to adapt just as quickly, this is not happening - so works like this book bring in important conversations and makes us aware of the current and potential issues.
May 30, 2024
This books constitutes a warning against the rapid development of technology and AI and their impact on a wide array of human rights. If this book aims at cooling the enthusiasm of technologists and explain to a general audience how AI will impact the way we live, interact with each other, our dignity and survival as humanity , it certainly achieves its objectives.
As a fellow human rights lawyer though, I think the book misses to discuss and illustrates possibile solutions: from individual's behaviours, to community practice, how to claim our rights, what practices companies should start enacting and how legislators should tackle those emerging issues. I believe this can still be done for a general audience that needs tools to navigate all those issues. Just raising awareness falls a little bit short to me.
As a fellow human rights lawyer though, I think the book misses to discuss and illustrates possibile solutions: from individual's behaviours, to community practice, how to claim our rights, what practices companies should start enacting and how legislators should tackle those emerging issues. I believe this can still be done for a general audience that needs tools to navigate all those issues. Just raising awareness falls a little bit short to me.
December 11, 2024
A good introduction to the issues, very clear and engaging writing, although I agree with other reviewers that it is relatively superficial, in some ways just a (helpful) summary of articles and reports on AI in the last decade, and that it would have been useful to have more specific ideas in our national context about what could be done. Citations were also sometimes just webpage addresses which was a bit strange/not useful if you wanted to read more (one article I couldn't find at all). She also sometimes asserts reasons for reported events without anything to back up that is what the event shows - and in at least 2 cases I thought those were questionable assumptions. Overall though this a lucid and thought-provoking book which puts concerns about the rights of all humans, whatever background, at the forefront in the debate about AI.
April 6, 2025
A great book that introduced me to all the big ideas of the human rights convention and how it relates to different types of ai+tech, as well as relevant case studies.
My main criticism is that the book only contends with the big picture ideas and trends whereas I'd have preferred a more in depth explanation of the different topics.
My theory of change is definitely different to the author's, who promotes change through law and legal frameworks. I'm very oposed to this method as it relies on these political and legal frameworks being at least slightly democratic/representative of public opinion (they aren't).
Activism through law has a place and I would agree that a way in which these cloud giants can be taken down is legally but in my view, this will only take place as a result of mass mobilisation and action in the streets. Bottom-up rather than top-down.
My main criticism is that the book only contends with the big picture ideas and trends whereas I'd have preferred a more in depth explanation of the different topics.
My theory of change is definitely different to the author's, who promotes change through law and legal frameworks. I'm very oposed to this method as it relies on these political and legal frameworks being at least slightly democratic/representative of public opinion (they aren't).
Activism through law has a place and I would agree that a way in which these cloud giants can be taken down is legally but in my view, this will only take place as a result of mass mobilisation and action in the streets. Bottom-up rather than top-down.
May 5, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Atlantic Books for the ARC.
I'm perhaps a bit more advanced on the topic of AI than the target audience of this book as it was part of my research during my masters degree - so some parts of the book topic wise I knew of well, however even as someone well schooled on the topic the book gave a worthy refresher and additional information in the areas I was less familiar with like Care Bots, that chapter in particular I found intriguing and certainly something I want to look into further as I honestly knew very very little on that side of things.
Definitely a book I would recommend to someone wanting the layperson introduction of AI Ethics and it's challenges as well as a primer for discussion on such a topic.
I'm perhaps a bit more advanced on the topic of AI than the target audience of this book as it was part of my research during my masters degree - so some parts of the book topic wise I knew of well, however even as someone well schooled on the topic the book gave a worthy refresher and additional information in the areas I was less familiar with like Care Bots, that chapter in particular I found intriguing and certainly something I want to look into further as I honestly knew very very little on that side of things.
Definitely a book I would recommend to someone wanting the layperson introduction of AI Ethics and it's challenges as well as a primer for discussion on such a topic.
September 2, 2024
Acting as a tour guide, Susie Alegre guides us through the AI headlines and to a deeper understanding on what AI is doing to us humans. A lawyer and author, she rests her arguments on the foundations of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR). Accessible and clear this enjoyable read comes in under 200 pages and leaves the tech and jargon to other books. “What is missing is not the law; in many cases it is enforcement...”and she urges us to fight for our human rights. I was lucky enough to catch her talk at the Edinburgh Book Festival 2024 which led me to buy this important book which I highly recommend to all humans!
May 9, 2024
"Human Rights, Robot Wrongs - Being Human In The Age of AI" tackles some of the biggest issues of our time. We live a reality that not too long ago existed only in the realm of science fiction. The real question is: what's the impact of this rampant development of technology on humanity? On the way we live, communicate, love? Are we just as human but with more tools to live our lives? Are we losing some humanity? How do we prevent that from happening?
I finished this book in two days but I know I will be thinking about what I just read for a lot longer!
I finished this book in two days but I know I will be thinking about what I just read for a lot longer!
May 10, 2024
This follow-on book to 'Freedom to Think' by the same author - is an equally essential read - What is AI exactly ? And what is it doing to our lives? How are we letting this happen ? Written in a perfectly accessible way, Alegre, a leading barrister, looks at the ways in which AI is smashing into areas of our lives such as our human rights, liberty and fair trial. I recommend, very highly.
March 12, 2025
3.5 stars. The book is a good introductory read for someone who has a shallow knowledge of the issue of AI and its influence on human rights. For someone, who has some existing knowledge, the book might be too shallow.
June 14, 2024
I wasn’t sold initially-the first chapter was a little zoomed out and basic. But latter chapters that honed in on issues and specific cases were really insightful and thought provoking.
July 31, 2025
This is an important book showing the downsides of AI and the cyber world. Much of it I knew, but not in the details described by Alegre.
October 5, 2025
I had my eyes opened by this book, there are so many aspects of AI that glazed over me and I feel much more adept to talk about it and understand it
October 7, 2025
Smart, engaging discussion about AI and what it means in terms of human rights.
August 28, 2024
Well paced with some critical insights and coverage of AI over the years. Good for a refresher and how it relates and references human rights law alongside the AI details.
April 2, 2025
Loved the concept and the specific examples listed for each category, just didn’t like the way the author wrote her ideas. I thought the warrants were a bit too simple (not original/ adding anything new) and seemed not authentic… maybe that’s because I studied this in my masters so I already had a lot of background knowledge?? But I thought the examples/evidence were very interesting
November 23, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In "Human Rights, Robot Wrongs", Susie Alegre takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of several spheres in which the interactions between AI and humans are expected to have a tremendous impact on the latter. These spheres range from care provision, justice, war and the aspects that make us human like our ingenuity and our creativity. Each of the chapters could easily be expanded to fill a full book (and some of them already have been). The author's premise is that the foreseeable issues do not require new legislation but can already be handled with the Human Rights Laws which date back to post-WW II when policies were put in place to save humanity from itself, at its most depraved.
This book will not teach you how AI works but it will certainly explain to a significant degree the issues that face us when extrapolating the developments that are already in motion, be it the loss of compassion in care provision, emerging misogyny by literally objectifying another sex in robot form, replacing the role of an accountable human for an unaccountable AI in warfare as well as the huge cost in both environmental, monetary and emotional terms of keeping today's algorithms humming. The author has managed to succinctly (in less than 200 pages), put the human finger on the AI pulse on a plethora of issues and will have the reader hungry for a further elucidation on these matters.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those readers that are not interested in a detailed explanation on how AI works, but instead want an understanding of where a world with AI is heading (without becoming depressed).
#HumanRightsRobotWrongs #NetGalley
In "Human Rights, Robot Wrongs", Susie Alegre takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of several spheres in which the interactions between AI and humans are expected to have a tremendous impact on the latter. These spheres range from care provision, justice, war and the aspects that make us human like our ingenuity and our creativity. Each of the chapters could easily be expanded to fill a full book (and some of them already have been). The author's premise is that the foreseeable issues do not require new legislation but can already be handled with the Human Rights Laws which date back to post-WW II when policies were put in place to save humanity from itself, at its most depraved.
This book will not teach you how AI works but it will certainly explain to a significant degree the issues that face us when extrapolating the developments that are already in motion, be it the loss of compassion in care provision, emerging misogyny by literally objectifying another sex in robot form, replacing the role of an accountable human for an unaccountable AI in warfare as well as the huge cost in both environmental, monetary and emotional terms of keeping today's algorithms humming. The author has managed to succinctly (in less than 200 pages), put the human finger on the AI pulse on a plethora of issues and will have the reader hungry for a further elucidation on these matters.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend it to those readers that are not interested in a detailed explanation on how AI works, but instead want an understanding of where a world with AI is heading (without becoming depressed).
#HumanRightsRobotWrongs #NetGalley
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