New Report: Artificial Intelligence in Development & Humanitarian Systems

Artificial intelligence is no longer a future possibility – it’s reshaping how decisions are made, services are delivered, and problems are understood.

For those working in development and humanitarian sectors, the question is shifting from whether to use AI, to how to do so effectively and responsibly. For IATI, that opens up a clear opportunity: to lead by doing – and to help show what responsible, useful applications of AI can look like in practice.

A new report, created for International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) by Open Data Services explores trends, tools and opportunities for AI in the development and humanitarian sectors, and what they mean for the future of transparency.

Read Artificial Intelligence in Development & Humanitarian Systems

The report draws on early use cases from across the sector – from AI tools that support translation, summarisation and smarter search, to systems like GANNET that generate near real-time situational reports. Examples of AI use of IATI data include portfolio-level analysis by the UK FCDO’s DevExplorer project, and experiments in AI-powered search led by Germany’s BMZ and UN Women.

These examples highlight a key message: AI can support faster, more relevant insights and lower the technical barriers to accessing complex data. But it only works if the underlying data is usable, timely and well described – a goal the IATI community is already working towards.

“These real world use cases offer early signals of what’s possible. They also point to the importance of near real time, open, and well documented data, something IATI is uniquely positioned to support.”

Key takeaways:

• AI is already being applied across development and humanitarian work – from translation and search to portfolio summaries and decision support tools.
  
• The usefulness of AI depends on the quality, structure, and accessibility of the data it draws from – a space where IATI has a clear role.
  
• Early experiments across the IATI community are showing how AI can lower barriers to data use and help turn transparency into action.
  
• There’s a dual opportunity ahead: embed AI more intentionally in IATI’s own strategy and services, and support responsible, public-interest AI across the sector.
  
• Moving forward will require deliberate choices about how AI is used, who it serves, and how shared infrastructure can support more inclusive, effective development.

These insights offer a starting point for more focused action. By working together on real world applications, the IATI community can help shape AI use in ways that strengthen transparency and support better decisions across the sector.