Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used by United Nations agencies to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from making education more accessible to detecting tuberculosis, tracking methane emissions and responding to humanitarian crises.
Across the UN system, AI-powered tools are being deployed to improve access to essential services, support climate action and strengthen responses to threats while efforts continue to ensure the technology is developed and used responsibly.
AI makes learning more accessible
For six-year-old Ari in Jamaica, AI has helped make reading and learning more accessible.
Ari has learning difficulties that make traditional study challenging. Through AI-assisted technology, existing textbooks can be converted into interactive learning materials tailored to individual needs.
The initiative is part of UNICEF’s Accessible Digital Textbooks for All (ADT) programme, which aims to address the lack of accessible learning materials for millions of children living with disabilities.
The programme, which predates the recent expansion of generative AI, now uses AI-assisted technology in 17 countries, reaching nearly two million children.
UNICEF aims to expand the initiative to 50 countries by 2030, with six additional countries joining in 2026.
The agency says communities and users should remain at the centre of technology development to ensure digital tools respond to real needs.
AI helps detect methane leaks
AI is also being used to tackle climate change by helping identify methane emissions.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) launched the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) in 2024 to use satellite data and AI to identify large methane leaks and alert governments and companies.
The system analyses information from 30 satellites to detect methane plumes.
According to UNEP, AI can identify methane leaks 12 to 15 times faster and more accurately than humans.
Since the system was launched, UNEP has issued about 7,500 alerts, resulting in 42 mitigation actions, while efforts to address methane leaks have prevented emissions equivalent to those produced by millions of gas-powered vehicles.
Methane is a particularly powerful greenhouse gas, making the rapid identification and repair of leaks an important part of efforts to slow global warming.
The alerts can also help companies reduce product losses, creating an economic incentive to address leaks.
AI speeds up tuberculosis screening
In healthcare, AI is helping countries with limited medical resources screen patients for tuberculosis.
With support from the World Health Organization (WHO), AI-powered computer-aided detection systems can analyse chest X-rays and quickly identify patients who may have TB.
The technology produces a TB likelihood score, helping medical teams prioritise patients who require further testing and treatment.
The approach is particularly useful in areas where there are not enough radiologists and other specialists.
In Ethiopia, for example, the technology is being used to help screen gold miners, who face an increased risk of tuberculosis because of exposure to dust and silica.
WHO officially recommended computer-aided detection for TB screening in adults in 2021 and has since supported countries in implementing the technology.
Earlier detection can help patients begin treatment sooner while reducing the risk of transmission within communities.
AI supports humanitarian and security operations
UN agencies are also exploring AI applications beyond health, education and climate action.
The technology is being used to help detect landmines, assess disaster damage, identify suspicious financial transactions and monitor radioactive contamination.
AI is also being explored to support nuclear fusion research and other scientific programmes.
These applications demonstrate how AI can assist organisations dealing with large volumes of data and complex problems where speed can make a significant difference.
Balancing innovation with human rights
Despite the potential benefits, the UN says the rapid development of AI must be accompanied by safeguards.
The organisation has repeatedly stressed the importance of ensuring that AI does not deepen inequality, undermine human rights or threaten peace and democratic institutions.
The central challenge is therefore not simply developing more powerful AI systems but ensuring that they are designed and deployed in ways that benefit communities.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described AI as both one of humanity’s greatest opportunities and one of its greatest risks.
The UN’s growing use of AI reflects that dual reality.
From helping a child access a textbook in Jamaica to identifying methane leaks from space and accelerating TB screening in Ethiopia, AI is already being applied to practical problems affecting people’s lives.
The next challenge will be ensuring that these technologies remain accessible, ethical, transparent and centred on human needs as their use expands globally.
