UN Report: Human Development Stalls, but AI Offers Hope for Global Progress

Human development has slowed but AI could save us all, new study finds

60 per cent of respondents said in the United Nations Development Programme they expected AI to impact their employment positively, creating opportunities in jobs that may not even exist today. Human development is stagnating, slowing down global progress and widening equality gaps, but artificial intelligence (AI) could save the day, according to a new report released on Tuesday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The 2025 Human Development Report found that despite humanity having come out the other side of global shockwaves such as the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an unexpectedly weak rise in progress, the smallest increase since 1990. The report, titled 'A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of artificial intelligence,' analysed development progress across a range of indicators known as the Human Development Index (HDI), which encompasses achievements in health and education, along with levels of income. The study revealed stalled progress on the HDI in all regions across the world and warned that increasing trade tensions, a worsening debt crisis, and the rise of jobless industrialisation risked making the situation worse. "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," Achim Steiner, UNDP administrator, said in a statement. "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". Steiner added that new ways to drive development should be explored, which include AI. Half of the global respondents said in the survey that they thought their jobs could be automated and 60 per cent of them said they expected AI to impact their employment positively, creating opportunities in jobs that may not even exist today, and 64 per cent said they were confident AI would make them more productive at work. Only 13 per cent of survey respondents fear AI could lead to job losses. Overall, the survey showed the general population's attitude to AI was upbeat and found that it could narrow the equality gap. In countries that ranked low and medium on the HDI, 70 per cent expect AI to increase their productivity, and two-thirds anticipate using AI in education, health, or work within the next year. However, the report advocates for a human-centred approach to AI despite headlines warning of artificial general intelligence (AGI), where humans are no longer needed and machines can operate autonomously. It argues that machines taking over cannot happen as algorithms cannot frame problems. The problems they solve must be defined for them by humans who designed the hardware and specified their functions and the data they are trained on. The report argues that AI can be employed as intelligence augmentation, not to replace us but to increase our own human thinking capabilities. The report says that AI democratisation is underway, but that closing the electricity and internet gaps is crucial so that no one is excluded. Besides access, policymakers will be critical as well as how effectively AI complements and augments what people do. "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 per cent of the world's population.

As AI surges, human development stalls: UNDP report | AIM

India has ranked the highest in self-reported AI skills penetration, which could bridge the gap between human and economic development in the country. Human development progression has seen an unprecedented slowdown since the pandemic, and a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report shows that AI could reignite the development. The report analyses development progress across various indicators, such as the Human Development Index (HDI), which consists of accomplishments in health and education, along with income levels. The report's projection for 2024 has revealed stalled progress on the HDI worldwide. "For decades, we have been on track to reach a very high human development world by 2030, but this deceleration signals a real threat to global progress," said UNDP administrator Achim Steiner. "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." For countries with the lowest HDI scores, the challenges are severely driven by increasing trade tensions, a worsening debt crisis and the rise of jobless industrialisation. The report says that India has the highest self-reported AI skills penetration, with digital infrastructure speeding up the use of AI. According to the UNDP, India's HDI score in 2023 was 0.685, which falls under the medium human development category based on progress in health, education, and income. The report also highlighted that India AI is helping farmers get real-time support, including insurance and subsidies in local languages, which depends on combining many different data sources. "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," Conceição added. The report also highlights that digital labour platforms can increase women's participation in the labour force, particularly from marginalised groups, by acting as a bridge between them and the labour markets.

Human Development progress slows to 35-year low: UNDP

A recent UNDP report reveals a concerning slowdown in global human development, reversing progress and widening inequalities. The Human Development Index has stalled across all regions, threatening the achievement of key milestones. However, the report suggests that Artificial Intelligence offers a potential solution, with a human-centered approach to AI that could reignite development and create new opportunities.Human development progress is experiencing an unprecedented slowdown according to a new report released Tuesday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The report showed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could reignite development. Instead of seeing sustained recovery following the period of exceptional crises of 2020-2021, the report revealed unexpectedly weak progress. Excluding those crisis years, the meagre rise in global human development projected in this year's report is the smallest increase since 1990. The 2025 Human Development Report "A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)" analyses development progress across a range of indicators known as the Human Development Index (HDI), which encompasses achievements in health and education, along with levels of income. Projections for 2024 revealed stalled progress on the HDI in all regions across the world. Beyond the alarming rate of deceleration in global development, the report found widening inequalities between rich and poor countries. As traditional paths to development are squeezed by global pressures, decisive action is needed to move the world away from prolonged stagnation on progress. "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." For the fourth year in a row inequality between Low HDI and Very High HDI countries continues to increase, according to the report. This reverses a long-term trend that has seen a reduction in inequalities between wealthy and poor nations. Development challenges for countries with the lowest HDI scores are especially severe - driven by increasing trade tensions, a worsening debt crisis and the rise of jobless industrialization. "Amidst this global turmoil, we must urgently explore new ways to drive development," Steiner said. "As AI continues its rapid advance across so many aspects of our lives, we should consider its potential for development. New capabilities are emerging almost daily, and while AI is no panacea, the choices we make hold the potential to reignite human development and open new pathways and possibilities." The report contained the results of a new survey that showed people are realistic yet hopeful about the change AI can bring. Half of respondents worldwide think that their jobs could be automated. An even larger share--six in ten-- expect AI to impact their employment positively, creating opportunities in jobs that may not even exist today. Only 13 per cent of survey respondents fear AI could lead to job losses. In contrast, in low- and medium-HDI countries, 70 per cent expect AI to increase their productivity, and two-thirds anticipate using AI in education, health, or work within the next year. The report advocates for a human-centred approach to AI - which has the potential to fundamentally redesign approaches to development. The survey results showed that across the world people are ready for this kind of 'reset'. The report outlined three critical areas for action: Building an economy where people collaborate with AI rather than compete against it; Embedding human agency across the full AI lifecycle, from design to deployment; and modernising education and health systems to meet 21st-century demands. "The choices we make in the coming years will define the legacy of this technological transition for human development," said Pedro Conceicao, 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."

'Alarming' Slowdown In Human Development - Could AI Provide Answers?

For several decades, human development indicators showed a steady, upward curve and UN researchers predicted that by 2030, a high level of development would be enjoyed by the global population. Those hopes have been dashed in recent years following a period of exceptional crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic - and progress has stalled across all regions of the world. The Human Development Report, an annual publication from the UN Development Programme (UNDP), shows that inequalities between rich and poor countries have widened for the fourth year in a row. Global pressures, such as increasing trade tensions and a worsening debt crisis which limits the ability of governments to invest in public services, are narrowing traditional paths to development. "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." Despite the gloomy indicators, the report is strikingly upbeat about the potential of artificial intelligence, noting the breakneck pace at which free or low-cost tools have been embraced by businesses and individuals alike. UNDP researchers carried out a survey to gauge opinions on AI and discovered that around 60 per cent of respondents expect the technology to positively impact their work and create new opportunities. Those living in low and medium levels of development were particularly keen: 70 per cent expect AI to increase their productivity, and two thirds anticipate using AI in education, health, or work within the next year. The report's authors include recommendations for action to make sure that AI is as beneficial as possible, including the modernisation of education and health systems to adequately meet today's needs - building an economy focused on human collaboration with AI (rather than competition) - putting humans at the heart of AI development, from design to deployment. "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." Ultimately, the report's message is that the impact of AI is hard to predict. Rather than being an autonomous force, it is a reflection and amplifier of the values and inequalities of the societies that shape it. To avoid what it calls "development disappointment", UNDP urges stronger global cooperation on AI governance, alignment between private innovation and public goals, and a renewed commitment to human dignity, equity, and sustainability. "The 2025 HDR is not a report about technology," writes Mr. Steiner in the foreword. "It is a report about people - and our ability to reinvent ourselves in the face of profound change." Across regions, the report highlights diverging trajectories: