1256. Human Development Progress at a 35-Year Low

According to a new report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), human development progress is experiencing an unprecedented slowdown. The 2025 Human Development Report, "A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)," analyzes development progress using the Human Development Index (HDI), which reflects achievements in health, education, and income levels, among others. The report showed that HDI progress stagnated in all regions around the world in 2024.

The report also reveals that the gap between rich and poor countries is widening. According to the report, the gap between low and very high HDI countries has been widening for the fourth consecutive year, threatening to reverse a long-term trend of narrowing inequality. Countries with the lowest HDI scores face intensifying trade tensions, deepening debt crises, and job losses linked to industrialization.

If stagnant progress in 2024 becomes the ‘new normal’, the 2030 milestone will be pushed back by decades, leaving the world less secure, more divided, and more vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks. Decisive action is needed to break this long-term stagnation.

The report includes new survey results showing that people are realistic yet hopeful about the changes that AI will bring. Half of respondents globally believe their job could be automated, six in ten expect AI to have a positive impact on employment and create job opportunities that may not exist today. Only 13% of survey respondents are concerned that AI could lead to job losses. In low and mid-HDI countries, 70% expect AI to boost productivity, and two-thirds expect to use AI in education, healthcare, or work within the next year. This shows that people around the world are ready to embrace this “reset.”

The report outlines three key areas for action:

• Build economies where people collaborate with AI, not compete with it
• Incorporate human agency throughout the entire AI lifecycle, from design to deployment
• Modernize education and healthcare systems to meet 21st-century needs

The democratization of AI is already underway. Closing the power and internet divide is more urgent than ever. However, access alone is not enough—it will depend on how effectively AI complements and enhances human activity.

(Reference)
UNDP (2025) The 2025 Human Development Report https://hdr.undp.org/content/human-development-report-2025

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki, Information Program