The document reveals a stagnation in the HDI in all regions of the world, while showing that Artificial Intelligence (AI) “can reactivate development.”
The progress of human development has suffered an unprecedented deceleration, being at the lowest level since 1990, according to a report on Tuesday released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), which excludes “the years of crisis”.
The conclusion is from the 2025 Human Development Report – “a question of choice: people and possibilities in the age of artificial intelligence” – who analyzes progress in a variety of indicators known as Human Development Index (HDI) and encompasses achievements in health, education and income level.
The document reveals a stagnation in the HDI in all regions of the world, while showing that Artificial Intelligence (AI) “can reactivate development.”
Instead of a sustained recovery after the exceptional crises of 2020-2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic was registered, the report not only points to a “alarming global slowdown,” but for an increase in inequalities between rich and poor countries.
“For decades, we have been on the way to reach a very high human development world by 2030, but this slowdown represents a real threat to global progress,” said UNDP Global Chief Achim Steiner.
“If the weak advance of 2024 becomes the ‘new normal’, this milestone of 2030 can be postponed for decades – making our world less safe, more divided and more vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks,” he added.
For the fourth consecutive year, inequality between low and high HDI countries continues to grow, reversing a long -term trend of these disparities.
Challenges for countries with the lowest rates of development are particularly severe, driven by increasing commercial tensions, worsening the debt crisis and the advancement of industrialization without job creation.
“Given this turbulent global scenario, we urgently need to explore new ways to boost development,” said Steiner.
“As AI is quickly advanced in many aspects of our lives, we must consider its potential for development. (…) Although AI is not a magical solution, the choices we do can rekindle human development and open new paths and possibilities,” he said.
The report presents the results of a new survey, which shows that people are realistic, but also hope for the changes that AI can bring.
Half of respondents around the world believe their jobs can be automated. An even greater portion – six out of ten – expects AI to have a positive impact on its occupation, creating opportunities in jobs that do not yet exist.
Only 13% of respondents fear it leads to job loss.
On the other hand, in low and middle HDI countries, 70% expect the IA to increase their productivity, and two thirds anticipate the use of AI in education, health or work next year.
The document was also focused on the competitive dynamics around the AI.
One of the registered phenomena is the escape of talent in artificial intelligence, with Portugal among the 30 countries (24th position) that received this kind of immigration in 2023, in a list that is led by Luxembourg, followed by Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
The report defends a human -centered approach to the use of AI – with the potential to deeply redesign development approaches.
Survey results indicate that people around the world are ready for this kind of “restart”.
The report highlights three critical action areas: building an economy where people collaborate with AI, instead of competing against it; incorporate human agency throughout the AI cycle, from project to implementation; and modernize education and health systems to meet the 21st century requirements.
AI democratization is already underway, says the report, with about one in five respondents reporting that he already uses artificial intelligence.
“The choices we make in the coming years will define the legacy of this technological transition to human development,” said the director of the UNDP Human Development Report, Pedro Conceição.
“With the right policies and focus on people, AI can be a crucial bridge for new knowledge, skills and ideas that can give power from farmers to small entrepreneurs,” he added.
