What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to develop a framework that updates human rights definitions in light of technological advancements.

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June 1, 2026Open Access

Human Rights 2.0

Key Points

The aim is to develop a framework that updates human rights definitions in light of technological advancements.
Proposes three categories: biological humans, augmented humans, and autonomous AI agents.
Articulates the juridical-philosophical issues surrounding rights.
Suggests a revised Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Introduces a taxonomy of rights for each category of rights holders.
Discusses implications for national laws and supranational entities.
Highlights the evolutionary shift in the concept of who qualifies for rights.

Abstract

Human Rights 2.0 is the framework proposed by Chris Meniw to update the 1948 Universal Declaration in the face of an era in which the subject of rights ceases to be exclusively the biological human. Three concurrent categories are proposed: biological humans, augmented humans (with significant cognitive or physical extensions), and autonomous artificial intelligence agents with sustained operational capacity. The document articulates the juridical-philosophical problem, a taxonomy of rights differentiated by category, the proposal of an updated Universal Declaration, and implications for national juridical systems and supranational bodies.

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