HUMAN DIGNITY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: LEGISLATIVE PATHWAYS FOR PROTECTING DIGNITY IN THE AI ERA

Abstract

Artificial intelligence, a rapidly evolving technology, is transforming multiple industries by improving efficiency, streamlining tasks and fostering the development of innovative products, yet this accelerated growth raises considerable ethical concern regarding the impact of these technologies on human dignity. This paper examines the opportunities and challenges inherent in the evolving fields of artificial intelligence and robotics in relation to human dignity, situating the concept within its constitutional and international legal history before assessing how emerging technology places pressure upon it. Through critical analysis of existing literature, statutory instruments and comparative regulatory practice, the paper examines the ethical considerations most consequential for human dignity, algorithmic bias, autonomy and control, and privacy, and surveys the legislative and regulatory frameworks that have emerged in India and internationally in response. The paper argues that while the advancement of artificial intelligence is unlikely to be halted and has already produced considerable benefit across sectors, existing Indian law remains substantially reliant on general-purpose statutes and non-binding guidance rather than a dedicated framework calibrated specifically to dignity-related harm, and it proposes concrete legislative and institutional pathways capable of closing that gap.