Paris, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is taking significant steps toward establishing the first global ethical standards for neurotechnology, addressing the pressing need for guidelines that protect human rights in this rapidly evolving field.

According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the initiative follows concerns highlighted in UNESCO’s 2021 report on the ethical issues of neurotechnology, which underscored potential threats to fundamental freedoms like cerebral integrity and personal identity. The pace of innovation has only intensified, especially with the integration of Generative AI into neurotechnology research, prompting UNESCO to act.

A group of 24 experts from diverse fields such as neuroscience, psychology, artificial intelligence, and ethics has been appointed by Director-General Audrey Azoulay to draft this pioneering ethical framework. Their work will undergo scrutiny at national and international levels throughout 2024, aiming for adoption at UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference in November 2025.

This move comes as neurological disorders become the leading cause of disability worldwide, with neurotechnology offering both hope for treatment and significant risks if left unregulated. Current applications, like wearable neurotechnology devices that collect neural data for commercial purposes, pose serious privacy concerns and could potentially be used to manipulate behavior or decisions.

The proposed ethical framework seeks to ensure that neurotechnology adheres to human rights standards, mirroring UNESCO’s history of setting global norms in areas such as the human genome and artificial intelligence. This initiative is part of UNESCO’s broader commitment to maintaining ethical standards in science and technology.