UN Report Lists 408 AI Projects Across 46 Agencies and All 17 SDGs
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and 46 United Nations agencies and bodies have produced the latest "UN Activities on AI Report", which presents 408 artificial intelligence cases and projects run by the UN system. According to the ITU, the projects cover all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The ITU and 46 UN agencies and bodies produced the latest UN Activities on AI Report.
- The report presents 408 AI cases and projects run by the UN system.
- The projects cover all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
- Examples include forecasting food crises, monitoring water productivity and mapping schools via satellite imagery.
- Editions from 2018 to 2022 are also available.
A joint effort across the UN system
The most recent edition of the report is a collaboration between the ITU and 46 UN agencies and bodies. The ITU describes it as a comprehensive overview of how AI is being used within the UN system, with 408 cases and projects collected in a single publication.
The report is tagged by the ITU under the themes of artificial intelligence, digital cooperation and the Sustainable Development Goals. Its scope reflects that framing: the projects touch every one of the 17 SDGs, rather than being limited to a few policy areas.
What the projects look like
The ITU says the initiatives span a wide range of practical applications. Examples named in its description include:
- forecasting food crises
- monitoring water productivity
- mapping schools through satellite imagery
- optimizing the performance of communication networks
The ITU adds that these are only some of the applications, noting that the initiatives range "among other applications". The source does not give further detail on individual projects, their budgets, or their results, so the report itself would be the place to look for specifics.
Earlier editions and what it means
Previous editions of the report from 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019 and 2018 are also available for reference on the ITU publication page. This allows readers to compare the current edition with earlier ones, although the source does not say how the number of projects or participating bodies has changed over time.
For researchers, policymakers and organizations that follow how AI is used in international development, the publication offers a single point of access to work carried out across many UN entities. The page also lists related content, including the AI Governance Day 2024 Report, which points to the ITU's wider activity on AI governance. Beyond the figures above, the source does not describe the report's findings or recommendations.
ITU (AI): United Nations Activities on Artificial Intelligence (AI)
