"Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way we address complex societal challenges, offering new possibilities in areas such as healthcare, climate resilience, education, and digital inclusion. The Innovate for Impact project was launched in 2024 to identify, support, and showcase practical A
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I solutions that bring tangible benefits to people and communities. A key part of the initiative involves the sharing of use cases, impactful AI applications and global lessons and expertise from around the world. In 2025, building on the success of its first edition, the project expanded its scope through an open call for AI use cases and AI Scholars. We received 234 use case submissions from 32 countries, out of which 160 were selected for inclusion in this interim report. These use cases span eleven key domains and reflect both the diversity of global innovation, regional solutions with lessons learnt and the practical ways in which AI is being applied to solve real-world problems." (Foreword)
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"As global stakeholders from governments, international organizations, the private sector, academia, and civil society, we convene in Hamburg to shape a human-centric, human-rights-based, inclusive, open, sustainable, and responsible AI future. We commit to advancing AI for the SDGs, aligning with o
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ngoing international efforts. A responsible AI future must be built on equal and meaningful participation, with actions to ensure that all stakeholders, especially those from emerging markets, developing economies, and vulnerable groups, have fair and equitable access to, as well as ownership of, computing, data, investment, and resources for capacity and talent development. AI’s benefits must not remain concentrated among a privileged few. We are committed to bridging digital divides and empowering all nations and communities to co-create and leverage AI solutions and evaluations that serve people and the planet. To achieve this, we call for leveraging AI responsibly, inclusively, and sustainably, aligned with the five pillars of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnerships." (A Joint Vision)
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"If 2023 was the year of generative artificial intelligence, 2024 was marked by the rapid expansion and adoption of AI, driving waves of innovation across nearly every conceivable domain. The United Nations system has kept an encouraging pace, redoubling efforts to harness the power and potential of
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AI responsibly. That progress is visible not only in the soaring number of UN AI initiatives — now totalling 729 projects, from 406 last year — but also in the depth of engagement across the system, with 53 UN entities contributing to this year’s Activities Report, six of them for the first time. This gathering momentum reflects our shared conviction that AI is no longer a distant aspiration; it is a present-day imperative within and beyond the United Nations. The projects highlighted here tackle urgent challenges, from accelerating climate action to improving health outcomes to expanding educational access, bolstering governance, and creating decent work. Nearly half of these efforts are built on partnerships with governments, academia, industry, and civil-society organizations, underscoring the multistakeholder spirit at the heart of the UN’s inclusive digital transformation agenda. Across our work, AI is already driving efficiencies, revealing deeper insights, and informing faster responses — from chatbots that streamline public-service delivery to data tools that strengthen emergency responses to applications that keep meetings and consultations running smoothly. These innovations are extending the reach and impact of our work in practical, promising ways. Yet the UN remains keenly aware of the risks and responsibilities that accompany AI. Ethics, human rights, and inclusion anchor every initiative, guiding us toward a shared digital future where AI helps us advance opportunity and prosperity for all. This report — prepared by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with 52 other UN entities — embodies the system’s resolve to lead by example. Read on to discover how AI is already driving progress, delivering results, and reshaping the way the UN serves people and planet in the digital age." (Foreword)
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"Several studies have already depicted the development of M4D and of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D), and that will not be repeated here. However, as this collection of chapters have sprung out from one of the M4D conferences – the M4D 2022 in Kigali – some notes
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on what have been salient at different conferences can be made. If we start with the M4D in Senegal 2014, we can see that from that conference stems a book where the chapters “initiate evocative conversations on how mobile technologies can contribute to expanding mobile participation practices” (Wamala-Larsson, Hellström, and Scharff 2015, 12). In Mozambique, in 2016, there were some contributions connecting to radio and TV technology; the M4D 2018 conference in Uganda included some papers on how utilities can be backed by subscription schemes via mobile services, as well as by apps where citizens can report dysfunctions and illicit use. The M4D 2020 did not take place, as the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the possibility of running a conference on site and it was postponed to 2022, when Rwanda saw the first blended M4D conference. The Zoom presence for several dozen participants over three days went very well and, via two cameras and two large screens at the venue site, they blended in well at the conference. The IT maturing effect caused by the pandemic was thus noticeable. Among the presentations it was noticeable that the Internet of Things and drones, often blended with machine learning, are now imaginable as “mobile technology”. Of course, drones are always mobile, and IoT sensors often travel with cargo, but it was the realisation of the affordability of these technologies for food chain, livestock, and crop management, combined with their reliance on mobile phone networks to make use of farmers’ photos and senor data, that made such presentations appropriate at a conference that focuses on affordable communication technology. While technology is a prerequisite, in this volume, based on selected contributions to that conference, we will balance some imaginations with some assessments. The focus will not be on the “new” M4D, even though we acknowledge that it is time to set up demonstration farms with IoT and machine learning, as pointed out by Ronald Katamba from Uganda in an interview (Pettersson and Rehema 2022, 145), and books are now published on Applying Drone Technologies and Robotics for Agricultural Sustainability (Raj, Saini, and Pacheco 2023, with examples from India and Zimbabwe; see also FAO and ITU 2022). Instead, the chapters selected for this book adhere to the theme of knowledge dissemination and knowledge development, as mentioned already. One chapter was invited to report from the African Center of Excellence in Internet of Things, hosted by the University of Rwanda in Kigali, to illustrate the efforts to build native technological competence on an advanced level. That chapter simultaneously demonstrates the growing pan-African collaboration in the academic infrastructuring project." (Foreword, pages x-xi)
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"The digital divide between the Global South and North has been a major concern for researchers from various fields in the past two decades. This divide has led to an increased focus on research related to information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) and other relevant discipline
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s. Given the prevalence of dominant paradigms that often lead to aggregated and context-free observations, this paper emphasizes the role of context in ICT4D while advocating for more nuanced, context-specific approaches in research and policy formulation. Through a systematic literature review, it proposes a conceptual framework that captures the psycho-social and the structural dimensions of context in ICT4D as well as their impact on success of related projects. The paper highlights the need for tailored theories addressing often overlooked elements such as language, ethnicity, religion, government change, political instability, and legal frameworks in the context of ICT4D. The proposed framework offers a roadmap for researchers to navigate the complex context of ICT4D, especially in the realm of emerging technologies." (Abstract)
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"The findings reveal that 44% of CSOs are currently utilizing AI tools, with generative AI being the most popular, while 96% of non-users are considering future integration. However, 54% have not yet adopted AI. Perceptions of AI’s impact on job security vary, with 48% seeing no threat, 13% percei
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ving a low threat, 26% considering it a moderate threat, 9% viewing it as significant, and 4% regarding it as extreme." (Surevy Overview, page 2)
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"Ghana is among Sub-Saharan Africa’s leaders in digital transformation. Over the past decade, the government has put the key institutions, legislative frameworks, strategies, and policies in place that are necessary to drive change. The Ministry of Communications and Digitalization leads and coord
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inates development and implementation of a core set of policies and strategies that are digitally transforming the government, economy, and society. The ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) Policy has guided this journey for more than a decade. A new Digital Economy Policy is drafted and under review to drive the next stage of Ghana’s digital development. The National Financial Inclusion and Development Strategy and the National Cyber Security Policy and Strategy have also been key. Ghana adopted an inclusive approach to developing its cybersecurity strategy, which contributed to improved cybersecurity capacity and considered citizens’ online safety and freedoms. However, a clear strategy for protecting critical national infrastructure is missing. Ghana has been a pioneer and champion of digital government transformation in West Africa over the past decade, with funding and support from the World Bank. Important whole-of-government platforms and services have been put in place, including the Government Wide Area Network (GWAN), which provides internet connection to more than 1,000 district assemblies, hospitals, police stations, and post offices across the country; a National Data Center; the Smart workplace suite, which includes email and productivity tools for government employees; and Ghana.gov portal, a one-stop-shop for citizen services. Still, digital government transformation is incomplete. Easy, efficient, online government services are in demand, but the Ghana.gov portal options are limited, and most major government service providers have their own separate online services portals. The national identity Ghana Card could enhance digital service delivery by providing a universally recognized, secure, and easy-to-use means of digital identification and authentication for citizens when accessing both public and private digital services, but the current identification system is not integrated with other government-operated databases, significantly reducing its many potential applications. The Regional Coordinating Councils, and metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDAs) are just now embarking on the digital transformation journey. The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development coordinates their efforts. Challenges for Ghana’s remaining efforts at digital government transformation include adequate funding to manage and maintain its connectivity and data center infrastructure, affordable internet for regional governments, inadequate digital literacy and skills among mid-level and regional staff, or related national training programs. A big skill gap exists in cybersecurity; Ghana faces a deficit of skilled cybersecurity professionals. The government also needs to improve efforts at stakeholder engagement and awareness-raising when developing new policy proposals." (Executive summary, pages 11-12)
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"When used effectively and responsibly, artificial intelligence (AI) holds the potential to accelerate progress on sustainable development and close digital divides, but it also poses risks that could further impede progress toward these goals. With the right enabling environment and ecosystem of ac
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tors, AI can enhance efficiency and accelerate development outcomes in sectors such as health, education, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and delivering public services. The United States aims to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared equitably across the globe." (Executive summary)
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"The integration of AI systems has profoundly transformed multiple dimensions of international cultural relations (ICR). Notably, changes in recent years have accentuated imbalances among languages, affected the situation of cultural sectors, and impacted the integrity of information while also prov
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iding a platform for influential tech players with unique imaginaries. This is unfolding in an era characterised by an increasing geopolitical competition and a global search for new AI governance frameworks. Most of these issues will likely further intensify in the coming years, with the proliferation of AI agents with whom users will interact in various contexts. In such a scenario, it has become urgent to outline a strategy for the work in the field of ICR in the AI era. Considering the mutual influence between AI and ICR, institutions engaged in ICR should aim to ensure ethical and responsible technology use and emerge as pivotal contributors to the advancement and regulation of AI." (Back cover)
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"This article focuses on the AI for Social Good (AI4SG) movement, which aims to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). It argues that, through AI4SG, Big Tech is attempting to advance AIdriven technosolut
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ionism within the development policy and scholarly space creating new opportunities for rent extraction. The article situates AI4SG, within the history of ICT4D. It also highlights the contiguity of AI4SG with the so-called 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), a framework that places AI and other digital innovations at the center of national and international development and industrial policy agendas. By exploring how Big Tech has attempted to depoliticize datafication, we thus suggest that AI4SG and 4IR are mutually reinforcing discourses that serve the purpose of depoliticizing the development arena by bestowing legitimacy and authority to Big Tech to reshape policy spaces and epistemic infrastructures while inserting themselves, to an unprecedented degree, between the citizen (data) and the state (development and policy)." (Abstract)
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"Vexing political questions of power, inequality and coloniality permeate the tech sector and its growing use of global ‘virtual’ assembly lines that see them penetrate even refugee camps in efforts to extract value. As a response, tech companies have been expanding non-commercial activities wit
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hin a presumed framework of humanitarianism, in part, trying to outweigh the negative implications of unjust business practices often characterised by third-party avoidance of responsibility. This commentary focuses on tech companies’ engagement with people in the Global South – not as recipients of tech beneficence – but as labourers who make tech possible. First, we document why companies are brought into humanitarian crises, and then we briefly chart examples of the practices of tech companies in the Global South. Then, we argue that ‘tech for good’, often presumed as altruistic, instead reproduces an expansive history of questionable corporate social responsibility efforts that sustain inequalities more than assuaging them. We conclude by reflecting on the impact of commodifying compassion for humanitarian helping and argue that tech companies should stop trying to ‘help’ through selfperceived altruistic activities. Instead, corporations should focus on remaking their core business practices in an image of justice, protection, and equal value creation, particularly in contexts characterised by vulnerability." (Abstract)
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"Cryptocurrencies, and the blockchain technology that underlies them, have attracted much attention over the last decade from scholars, tech communities, financial institutions, states and more. The extreme volatility of the cryptocurrency market has made some people very rich and cost others almost
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everything.Importantly, there are many indications that marginalized communities are especially attracted to this new technology while being more vulnerable to issues such as fraud and exploitation in this field. This paper reviews academic research –predominantly social scientific – on cryptocurrencies and financial blockchain to determine the extent to which they engage with the experiences, agencies, and knowledges of marginalized communities. Overall, the findings show that, bar a few important exceptions that take seriously marginalized communities, academic research has largely focused on traditionally dominant actors such as crypto evangelists, fintech developers, states, and banks. Furthermore, the knowledges of marginalized communities are almost entirely absent while research privileges already dominant theories and research methodologies. Such trends in academic research on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology reproduce existing knowledge hierarchies and lead to the further material marginalization of already vulnerable communities. In light of these findings, we conclude with some recommendations for further research that can challenge these problematic dynamics."(Abstract)
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