The move aligns with IBA's recent report on the legal profession's role in shaping AI governance
The International Bar Association (IBA) has officially endorsed the Council of Europe's Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence (AI), human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
According to the IBA, this endorsement marks the first legally binding international treaty focused on governing AI systems and ensuring their compliance with fundamental human rights and democratic values.
Almudena Arpón de Mendívil Aldama, president of the IBA, emphasized the significance of the Framework Convention in the digital age, stating, “The Council of Europe’s AI Convention establishes a necessary foundation to protect human rights, democracy, and the rule of law in our digital age. Lawyers and law societies around the world should seek to ensure its rapid adoption and implementation.”
The IBA's endorsement aligns with its recent report, “The Future is Now: Artificial Intelligence and the Legal Profession,” developed in collaboration with the Center for AI and Digital Policy (CAIDP). The report highlighted the importance of the legal profession in shaping AI governance to promote fairness, transparency, and accountability and to avoid opaque decision-making processes that could hinder justice.
The report was launched during the 2024 IBA Annual Conference in Mexico City. The event focused on the legal sector's crucial role in establishing responsible AI governance frameworks. Marc Rotenberg, CEO of CAIDP, directed the project, emphasizing the need for legal professionals to be at the forefront of AI policy and regulation.
Arpón de Mendívil further noted that the legal profession cannot remain passive amid the rapid development of AI technologies. "We must play an active role in the governance of technological changes, avoiding developments that may risk fundamental values such as human rights and democracy," she stated. She also called on the legal community to embrace new technologies while safeguarding the core values of justice and transparency.
The IBA, with over 80,000 members and 200 law societies from 170 jurisdictions, works to support global legal standards, including the rule of law, democracy, and human rights.
