Glossary
Human-Centred AI
An approach that treats human rights, human agency and social context as design constraints rather than afterthoughts.
Last reviewed 2026-08-22
In plain language
Human-centred (or human-centric) AI is used in OECD, UNESCO and EU materials to contrast purely technology-driven deployment. It emphasizes usability, participation of affected people, and alignment with human values. Like other umbrella terms, it can be substantive or decorative. Indigenous data-sovereignty, labor representation and disability access are tests of whether “human-centred” includes all humans.
Why it matters for AI governance
The phrase is common in strategy documents. It is useful when it changes who is in the room and what can be deployed; otherwise it is rhetoric.