For many people served by the humanitarian sector, 2024 has been the worst year yet. The latest UN estimates people forced to flee violence and disaster is a record 120 million, a number that has doubled in the last decade. The broader number of people in need of humanitarian assistance, 300 million, has increased as a result of increasingly violent conflicts and the growing impact of the climate crisis. There has also been progress towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals stagnation or decline in more than half of breakable countries. A child born in these countries is ten times more likely to end up in poverty than a child born in a stable country.
Unprecedented numbers show the need for a modern humanitarian wave: technological, harnessing the power of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. For years, we have (rightfully) debated the risks and benefits of AI and waited for the promise of “AI for good” to arrive. In 2025, this moment may finally come in the aid, development and humanitarian sector.
Properly used, artificial intelligence can open modern frontiers in humanitarian action – in terms of scale, speed, reach, personalization and cost savings. My organization, International Rescue Committee (IRC) and our internal research and innovation laboratory, Airbel, are exploring the applications of artificial intelligence in our humanitarian programming. We see solutions emerging in three key areas – information, education and climate – each strengthened by promising partnerships and public-private collaboration.
For example, for refugees forced to flee conflict, the top priority is timely, precise and contextual information about who can be trusted and where to find facilitate and safety. Signpost Global Information Project, powered by Google.org – a Google charity – in partnership with the IRC, Cisco Foundation, Zendesk and Tech for Refugees, delivers critical information to millions of displaced people through digital channels and social media, disempowering smugglers who thrive on misinformation or disinformation, and rescuing life on migration routes. As the work evolves, Signpost is establishing an “AI Prototyping Lab” to reduce risk and assess the effectiveness of generative AI for the entire humanitarian sector.
Humanitarian organizations are also exploring the potential of generative artificial intelligence to improve and personalize the education of children affected by crises, of whom there are 224 million worldwide. It is a huge challenge to test and strengthen the potential of ChatGPT in local languages. For example, AI models do not understand African languages. AI familyAfrica’s ‘AI Research and Product Lab’ is working to change that developing new languages bring AI to Africa while OpenAI he started offering low and reduced cost of access to ChatGPT for non-profit organizations.
OpenAI also supports development Get dresseda global, AI-powered chatbot learning platform that delivers personalized digital learning experiences at scale through communication platforms for children, teachers and parents affected by the crisis, all while testing and strengthening the potential of ChatGPT in local languages.
We are finally seeing the power of AI scaled to protect communities from the harsh effects of extreme weather. In cooperation with non-governmental organizations, governments and the UN, Google has launched based on artificial intelligence “Flood Hub”, which is currently able to forecast floods in 80 countries. Google.org with IRC and NGO Give directlyANDuses machine learning in northeastern Nigeria to establish forecasting systems that trigger early warnings and cash transfers against devastating climate threats.
Israeli scholar and historian Yuval Noah Harari described artificial intelligence as the most hazardous technology we have ever created – and potentially the most beneficial. In 2025, these benefits must go to the world’s poorest.