United Nations Report Highlights AI’s Potential in Human Development
A new report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has revealed that while human development is stagnating globally, artificial intelligence (AI) could be the catalyst needed to drive progress forward. The 2025 Human Development Report analyzed development progress across various indicators known as the Human Development Index (HDI), which includes achievements in health, education, and income levels.
Despite humanity having overcome global shockwaves such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the report found an unexpectedly weak rise in progress – the smallest increase since 1990. The study showed stalled progress on the HDI in all regions worldwide, warning that increasing trade tensions, a worsening debt crisis, and the rise of jobless industrialization could exacerbate the situation.
“For decades, we have been on track to reach a very high human development world by 2030, but this deceleration signals a very real threat to global progress,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator. “If 2024’s sluggish progress becomes ‘the new normal,’ that 2030 milestone could slip by decades – making our world less secure, more divided, and more vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks”.
Public Confidence in AI’s Impact
The report suggests exploring new ways to drive development, including the use of AI. A survey conducted for the report found that 60% of respondents expected AI to positively impact their employment, creating opportunities in jobs that may not even exist today. Half of the global respondents believed their jobs could be automated, yet only 13% feared AI could lead to job losses. Instead, 64% said they were confident AI would make them more productive at work.
In countries ranked low and medium on the HDI, 70% of respondents expected AI to increase their productivity. Two-thirds anticipated using AI in education, health, or work within the next year. The report advocates for a human-centered approach to AI, arguing that machines cannot replace human problem-solving capabilities since algorithms require humans to define the problems they solve.
AI as Intelligence Augmentation
The report argues that AI should be employed as intelligence augmentation, enhancing human thinking capabilities rather than replacing them. It emphasizes that the democratization of AI is underway but notes that closing the electricity and internet gaps is crucial to prevent exclusion. Policymakers will play a critical role in ensuring AI effectively complements human capabilities.
“The choices we make in the coming years will define the legacy of this technological transition for human development,” said Pedro Conceição, Director of UNDP’s Human Development Report Office. “With the right policies and focus on people, AI can be a crucial bridge to new knowledge, skills, and ideas that can empower everyone from farmers to small business owners”.
The UNDP survey gathered responses from over 21,000 individuals across 21 countries and in 36 languages, representing 63% of the world’s population.
