In this episode, Petra Molnar - Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, with, Lauren Hawker Zafer is joined by is joined by Petra Molnar. Lauren and Petra shape a critical conversation in which they redefine what ethical AI really means, especially when human lives and freedoms are at stake.
Who is Petra Molnar?
Petra Molnar is an author advocating for Migrant Justice through research and activism, with a multifaceted background in Migrant Justice. Petra Molnar is also a former classical musician, she has been working in migrant justice since 2008, first as a settlement worker and community organizer and now as a researcher and lawyer. She writes about digital border technologies, immigration detention, health and human rights, gender-based violence, the politics of refugees, immigration, and international law. Petra has worked worldwide, including in Jordan, Turkey, the Philippines, Kenya, Colombia, Canada, Palestine, and various parts of Europe.
Petra is the co-creator of the Migration and Technology Monitor, a collective of civil society, journalists, academics, and filmmakers interrogating technological experiments on people crossing borders. She is the Associate Director of the Refugee Law Lab at York University and a Faculty Associate (and former Fellow) at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University.
Petra Molnar, in her analysis, provides a critical perspective on the concerning trend of technosolutionism in the context of migrant justice and digital borders. She argues that the increasing use of surveillance technologies such as facial recognition, AI-powered lie detectors, robots for tracking movements, biometrics, and automated decision-making systems to manage migration often results in discriminatory practices, breaches of privacy, and violations of human rights.
While AI could potentially be utilized for regulatory oversight to track efficiency and biases in migration data or immigration officer decisions, the current trend appears to be the deployment of powerful and largely unregulated high-risk technologies aimed at monitoring individuals.
Petra shares her concern for the growing adoption of technologies like facial recognition, AI lie detectors, and robots to monitor and control the movement of refugees and migrants disproportionately targets vulnerable communities. This can lead to unfortunate consequences, potentially pushing migration routes towards more dangerous terrain and increasing the risk of loss of life.
Despite the concerning trends, Petra Molnar works alongside journalists, academics, and filmmakers to raise awareness about these current issues through her advocacy work at the Migration and Technology Monitor. Such efforts aim to promote accountability, ethical practices, and respect for human rights in the use of emerging technology.
Petra Molnar's upcoming book "The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving Migration in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" promises to offer more insights into the concerning use of technology in migration management and its impact on vulnerable communities. Here are some key points about the book. Learn more and connect with the author here: https://www.petramolnar.com
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