AI: A Beacon for Stalled Human Development

According to a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report released Tuesday, human development progress is experiencing a record slowdown. The new findings highlight how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could potentially restart development after the setbacks of the 2020-2021 crises. The rise in global human development this year is notably the smallest since 1990.

The 2025 Human Development Report titled 'A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence' examines progress using the Human Development Index (HDI) across health, education, and income indicators. For 2024, projections indicate stalled development worldwide, with growing disparities between affluent and impoverished nations. The report calls for decisive actions to avoid prolonged stagnation.

UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner warns that continued sluggish progress could derail the 2030 high human development target, emphasizing the necessity for new development pathways amidst global turmoil. While AI isn't a cure-all, it presents opportunities to advance human development. A survey within the report highlights global optimism about AI's job prospects, with most anticipating significant benefits.

(With inputs from agencies.)