With dramatic reductions in development and humanitarian funding landscapes, artificial intelligence is becoming a go-to solution to save time and money – and increase impact. However, not all AI is created equal, nor is all AI ethical or even accurate.
RSVP Now for AI for Development and Impact 2025.
DevelopMetrics is hosting its second annual conference on multiple uses and inherent challenges of applying AI to the development and humanitarian sectors.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Elia Gandolfi from The Agency Fund – sharing practical frameworks to evaluate, scale, and de-risk AI interventions.
- Lucy Hall from the Humanitarian Leadership Academy – exploring findings from a groundbreaking AI survey.
- Robin Nowok of the GIZ Data Lab – showing how NegotiateAI helps treaty negotiators work with complex policy texts.
- Nasim Motalebi from the World Food Programme – sharing operational examples of AI in food systems and crisis planning.
- Lucy Mills from Ready Sport Global – discussing AI in the sports ecosystem that are key to social development.
- Emmanuel Lubanzadio from OpenAI – investigating responsible AI expansion across African contexts.
- Wayan Vota from Intelehealth – showcasing responsible AI in digital health across LMICs.
Why AI4D Matters Now
The growing gap between AI adoption in the development and humanitarian fields and organizational support is exactly why AI for Development and Impact 2025 matters.
This year, we bring together development and humanitarian professionals with AI and Large Language Model experts to tackle hard questions about AIs uses, where it falls short, and to grow the conversation on how to apply it more responsibly and effectively.
That need is underscored by the 2025 Humanitarian AI Insights Report, released by the Humanitarian Leadership Academy and Data Friendly Space. Based on responses from over 2,500 people in 144 countries, the report offers one of the first global snapshots of how AI is showing up in day-to-day humanitarian work.
More than 90% of respondents said they use AI tools, but only 8% said those tools were fully integrated into their organizations. Most operated solo, experimenting and applying AI platforms in isolation. Fewer than one in four had received any formal training or internal guidance.
Concerns about biased outputs, unclear oversight, and poor data practices were common. This was especially the case among groups working closest to the communities these tools are meant to support. AI for Development and Impact 2025 is designed to create space for those voices and help shift the conversation from fragmented experimentation to shared, practical learning.
What to Expect at AI4D 2025
The growing gap between adoption and support is the key theme of AI for Development and Impact 2025 is happening – and your voice is critical.
AI for development and Impact 2025 is a two-day global gathering to critique how AI is being used, tested, and questioned in real-world contexts. It is designed for people working in development, humanitarian programs, and adjacent fields who are either using AI now or preparing for what is coming.
- Day 1 will take place on site at Norrsken House in Barcelona and will also be streamed live for online participants.
- Day 2 will be fully virtual and open to a wider global audience.
Both days include a mix of plenary discussions and sessions, case-based sessions, working groups, and tool demonstrations.
Why You Should Attend AI4D 2025
The event is not built around theoretical use cases. It is focused on lived experience, organizational realities, and grounded experimentation.
Sessions will explore topics such as cash programming, climate adaptation, refugee-led design, local capacity building, and how smaller organizations are navigating legal and technical challenges with limited resources.
For people working in ICT4D, this conference offers a space to learn directly from peers across regions and roles. It also creates space to reflect on what is missing from the current conversation about AI in the sector.
The research suggests that people are eager to experiment but often do so without guidance, infrastructure, or safeguards. AI for Development and Impact 2025 is an opportunity to respond to that reality and help shape what happens next.
Explore the full agenda now Both in-person and virtual participation are available.
