{"slug":"unesco-recommendation-on-the-ethics-of-ai","title":"UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (adopted by the General Conference, 23 November 2021)","short_title":"UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI","jurisdiction":"international","instrument_type":"framework","status":"adopted","is_binding":false,"issuing_body":"UNESCO General Conference (193 member states)","summary_plain":"The first global normative instrument on AI ethics. It sets values (human rights and dignity, environment and ecosystem flourishing, diversity and inclusiveness, peaceful and just societies) and principles (proportionality and do no harm, safety and security, fairness, sustainability, privacy, human oversight, transparency and explainability, responsibility, awareness and literacy, multi-stakeholder governance), and eleven policy action areas from ethical impact assessment and data policy to gender, education, health and the environment. UNESCO supports implementation with a Readiness Assessment Methodology (RAM) and an Ethical Impact Assessment tool used by dozens of countries.","adopted_on":"2021-11-23","in_force_on":null,"applies_from":null,"official_source_url":"https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137","last_verified_at":null,"review_status":"pending_review","confidence_level":"high","updated_at":"2026-09-11T14:53:03+00:00","url":"https://aipolicytracker.org/policies/unesco-recommendation-on-the-ethics-of-ai","status_note":null,"scope_summary":"Addressed to member states; recommends measures for public and private AI actors; non-binding.","who_it_applies_to":null,"key_dates_summary":null,"penalties_summary":null,"what_organizations_must_do":null,"published_on":null,"date_notes":"Dates are taken from the linked official source; a reviewer should confirm in-force and application dates before relying on them.","taxonomy":{"actor":["provider","deployer","public_authority"],"sector":["cross_sector","healthcare","education"],"use_case":["health","education","public_services"]},"sections":[],"obligations":[],"applicability_rules":[],"deadlines":[],"versions":[],"enforcement_events":[],"procurement_rules":[],"sources":[{"title":"Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence","publisher":"UNESCO","url":"https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137","document_date":"2021-11-23","document_type":"official","tier":1,"tier_label":"Official primary source (government, legislature, regulator, court, standards body, intergovernmental)"}],"related_policies":[],"related_frameworks":[],"faq":[],"source":{"official_source_url":"https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137","source_title":"Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence","source_publisher":"UNESCO","source_document_date":"2021-11-23","source_reference":null,"source_tier":1,"last_checked_at":"2026-09-11","last_verified_at":null,"review_status":"pending_review","confidence_level":"high","content_version":1,"change_summary":"Added in the September 2026 global coverage expansion from the official source listed; reviewer to confirm dates, status and scope against the source text.","reviewed_by":null}}