United Nations, May 8 – Global human development progress has slowed to its weakest pace in more than three decades, the United Nations said on Tuesday, warning that rising inequality and economic stagnation threaten to push key development goals far beyond their 2030 target.
In its 2025 Human Development Report titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said the projected gains for 2024 mark the smallest annual increase in the Human Development Index (HDI) since 1990, excluding the COVID-19 crisis years.
“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 UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. “If 2024’s sluggish progress becomes the new normal, that milestone could slip by decades.”
The HDI measures development by combining indicators of health, education, and income. The UNDP report cited persistent economic headwinds, rising geopolitical tensions, and jobless industrialization in low-income countries as key drivers of the slowdown.
Inequality between rich and poor nations has widened for the fourth consecutive year, reversing a long-term trend of convergence. Countries with low HDI rankings are facing mounting trade tensions and a deepening debt crisis, the report added.
Amid the downturn, the UNDP highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to drive human development — provided it is approached with inclusive and ethical governance.
“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,” Steiner said.
A global survey conducted for the report found that more than half of respondents believe AI could automate their jobs. However, 60% expect AI to impact employment positively, creating opportunities in new sectors. In lower-income countries, 70% said they believe AI will enhance productivity.
Despite widespread concerns over automation, only 13% of those surveyed feared job losses due to AI.
The report advocates for a human-centered AI strategy focused on three pillars: building economies where humans collaborate with AI rather than compete against it, embedding human agency across the AI lifecycle, and modernizing education and health systems for the digital age.
“The choices we make in the coming years will define the legacy of this technological transition for human development,” said Pedro Conceição, Director of the UNDP Human Development Report Office.
“If managed wisely, AI can empower farmers, small business owners, and educators — bringing transformative change where it’s needed most,” he added.
