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UNDP AI SPRINT

Accelerating development impact with responsible and inclusive AI A strategic initiative accelerating how UNDP uses and supports AI for sustainable development. It combines internal transformation (equipping teams with the tools, skills, and governance frameworks needed to use AI responsibly) with support to countries advancing their AI transformation journeys. 

Partnering with Countries on AI Futures

Supporting nationally led AI journeys

Demand for AI support from countries is growing rapidly. UNDP partners with governments to design and implement AI transformation journeys that are grounded in national priorities, responsive to local contexts, and aligned with the sustainable development goals.

Oursupport includes:

  • National AI landscape assessments and ecosystem mapping
  • Design and implementation of national AI strategies
  • Public sector AI training and institutional capacity building
  • Low resource language and data digitization initiatives
  • Strengthening AI trust and safety, including risk identification, mitigation, and locally responsive safeguards

As a trusted partner, UNDP connects policy, technology, and institutions to help countries harness AI for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development.

Countries Leading Their Own AI Futures

UNDP as the trusted partner for government transformation

Demand from countries is rising fast. UNDP is already supporting national AI journeys through.

21

National AI Landscape Assessments

9

National AI Strategies

10

Countries Trained in AI for Government

10

Countries Supported with Local Language Digitization

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Country Spotlight:

Mauritius

The multi-stakeholder convening shaped Mauritius’ AI vision, helping define strategic priorities, mobilize a whole-of-society coalition, and strengthen its role as a technology catalyst for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). 

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Country Spotlight:

Ghana

More than 100 senior government officials, including 17 Ministers, joined an AI Bootcamp to spark a shared agenda on public sector innovation, and tangible use cases connected to Ghana's national AI strategy.

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Country Spotlight:

Zimbabwe

The Innovation Week socialised the national AI strategy with more than 300 participants, including government officials, private sector, and civil society. 

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Country Spotlight:

Dominican Republic

More than 70 senior government officials, and ecosystem actors engaged in a dialogue to accelerate AI adoption, strengthening AI infrastructure, and talent pipelines. 

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AI Solutions for Sustainable Development 

Turning innovation into impact

UNDP develops and scales AI-enabled solutions that address real-world development challenges. Our flagship initiatives demonstrate how AI can strengthen decision-making, accelerate response, and improve public service delivery. 

Current focus areas include:  


  • Climate and nature policy coherence tools
  • Crisis anticipation and rapid response capabilities
  • More transparent and efficient justice systems

Designed for diverse country contexts, these solutions are adaptable, scalable, and delivered through global partnerships to drive measurable development impact. 

Discover our AI solutions

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Nature-Climate Policy Coherence Tracker

Helping countries align climate and biodiversity plans with global goals through an AI-powered policy lens. 
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RAPIDA

A fast, precise crisis-response capability that improves how UNDP and governments anticipate, prepare, and act. 

Building Strong AI Foundations 

Enabling responsible and effective use of AI 

Sustainable AI adoption requires more than technology. UNDP is strengthening the foundations that enable AI to be used responsibly, safely, and effectively across diverse development contexts. 

This includes:  


  • Investing in AI literacy and skills across our workforce and partner institutions
  • Establishing governance, safeguards, and risk‑based frameworks
  • Modernising data and digital systems to support AI use
  • Integrating AI into analytics, knowledge, and decision‑support tools

These investments are designed to support ethical, secure AI deployment aligned with national development priorities. 

Building trust into AI from the start 

UNDP approaches AI governance as a development priority, not an afterthought.

Our AI Policy was shaped by colleagues across the organization, reflecting a shared commitment to safety, ethics, transparency and inclusion, demonstrated through our eight AI principles: 

1. Do No Harm

AI systems should not cause or exacerbate social, cultural, environmental, political, or human rights harm.

2. Purpose, Necessity, and Proportionality

AI shall be used only where its deployment is justified by clear and legitimate aims.

3. Human Autonomy, Oversight, and Accountability

Decisions involving ethical judgment, human rights, legal obligations, access to services, allocation of resources, or other rights-affecting outcomes shall remain human-led.

4. Fairness, Inclusion, and Non-Discrimination

AI systems shall not entrench or reproduce bias, discrimination, or exclusion, especially in development and humanitarian contexts.

5. Right to Data Protection and Privacy

UNDP will safeguard Personal Data, with particular attention to the privacy and security of data related to vulnerable populations.

6. Transparency and Explainability

AI use shall be sufficiently transparent to enable the understanding, traceability, and accountability of an AI model to the end-user of the AI model.

7. Safety, Security, and Resilience

AI systems shall be designed, maintained and used in a manner that is safe, secure, and resilient to misuse or failure.

8. Sustainability

Environmental and long-term societal impacts of AI development and usage should be considered in a manner proportionate to the context and level of risk.

Shaping an AI‑Enabled Future Together

UNDP works with countries and partners to navigate the opportunities and risks of AI in a responsible, inclusive, and collaborative way. This effort is reinforced by an acceleration agenda focused on strengthening skills, systems, and governance across the organization.

From policy to implementation, our focus is clear: 

AI that works for people, everywhere.