On December 14, within the framework of the world human rights day, Bolgar Islamic academy hosted a debate on the topic “artificial intelligence and human rights: religious and legal aspects”. The participants of the event were students, teachers and staff of the academy.

Ilsur Salikhov, candidate of law, lecturer of the department of religious and humanitarian disciplines of the academy, as an expert spoke in the debate.

Discussing the peculiarities of artificial intelligence, the participants tried to reveal the essence of the phenomenon and its place in public life, considered the attitude of Muslim theology to this phenomenon, as well as the risks and threats to the development of artificial intelligence at the present stage and in the historical perspective. A separate discussion focused on such aspects of the topic as the “personality” of artificial intelligence and the potential of its legal personality, as well as human rights and “rights” of robots.

After a short lecture, the participants were divided into two teams. The first one defended the position ” for” artificial intelligence, the other one tried to prove the opposite with the help of various arguments. Defending their point of view, the participants of the debates relied on religious and legal aspects of the issue, and also gave their assessment of the arguments of the opposite team.

At the end of the debate, the team captains gave a closing speech in which they once again outlined the main arguments.

According to the results of the discussion, the most vivid skills of public discussion were demonstrated by the team of the 2nd year of Master’s degree, which defended the right to the existence of artificial intelligence, for which it was awarded a diploma “for the potential in the ability to persuade”. The team of the 1st year of Master’s program, which proved the danger of artificial intelligence, was awarded a diploma “for persistence, perseverance and enthusiasm”.