Geneva [Switzerland], May 6 (HBTV): Human development progress is experiencing an unprecedented slowdown, according to a new report released Tuesday by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The report also highlighted how Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help reignite development.
Instead of sustained recovery following the exceptional crises of 2020–2021, the report revealed unexpectedly weak progress. Excluding those crisis years, the projected global rise in human development for this year is the smallest increase since 1990.
The 2025 Human Development Report, titled A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), analyses development progress across a range of indicators that comprise the Human Development Index (HDI), including health, education, and income. Projections for 2024 revealed stalled progress on the HDI in all global regions.
In addition to the deceleration, the report noted a growing divide between rich and poor nations. As traditional paths to development become constrained by global pressures, the report stressed the need for decisive action to prevent prolonged stagnation.
‘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 consecutive year, inequality between Low HDI and Very High HDI countries has continued to increase, reversing a long-term trend of narrowing disparities.
The report cited mounting development challenges for countries with the lowest HDI scores, driven by intensifying trade tensions, a deepening debt crisis, and the phenomenon of jobless industrialisation.
‘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 included a new global survey showing that people are realistic yet optimistic about the change AI could bring. Half of the respondents worldwide believe their jobs could be automated, while six in ten expect AI to positively impact employment by creating new opportunities.
Only 13 per cent of respondents expressed concern that AI could lead to job losses. In low- and medium-HDI countries, 70 per cent anticipate AI will boost their productivity, and two-thirds expect to use AI in education, healthcare, or work within the next year.
The report advocates for a human-centred approach to AI, which could transform development strategies. Survey results suggested strong global readiness for such a ‘reset’.
Three key action areas were identified: building an economy where people collaborate with AI rather than compete with it; embedding human agency throughout the AI lifecycle from design to deployment; and modernising education and health systems to meet the needs of the 21st century.
‘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.’
(ANI/ WAM)