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Reinventing Humanitarian Aid Procurement for the Age of AI

Giulio Coppi

Access Now (2026), 59 pp.

"Our research reveals that the organisational use of AI and algorithmic systems often happens through a process of unstructured integration rather than formal adoption. More precisely, cloud-based, algorithmic-enhanced functionalities and processes are making their way into humanitarian entitiesʼ t ... ech stack through updates and add-ons to preexisting products, slowly but inexorably seeping into most internal systems. A price-based procurement process designed around the static idea of digital asset purchase is inadequate to ensure adequate protection from hyperdynamic tech product development. This is especially evident looking at the growing power imbalances between private actors and nonprofits, and among nonprofits themselves. Digital technology is often heralded as key to democratise and equalise the playing field between humanitarian actors, by finally unlocking local actorsʼ access to resources traditionally reserved for international entities. But emerging trends seem to disprove such claims. The lack of adequate legal frameworks and safeguards, lagging investments in humanitarian funding for information and communication technology (ICT) resources and connectivity, and inadequate dedicated funding for digital programmes are thwarting these opportunities. More broadly, virtuous and responsible procurement practices are proving inadequate for protecting human rights alone, as tech companiesʼ commitments to human rights are replaced by defence-oriented pitches and the size of their human rights teams keeps shrinking. Preexisting digital divides are enhanced by several deep and subtle changes in traditional tech business models, resulting from the gradual cloudification of most common digital systems and the fast-paced, distributed nature of modern digital development. Even more worryingly, we are seeing new forms of digital divide well beyond the traditional gaps in digital capacity between local and small non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) or UN entities. Cloud-based companiesʼ takeover of generic coordination platforms creates a constantly broadening chasm between the few organisations that are digitally mature, those who are barely retrofitting their processes to fit the new reality, and the broad majority forced to access the promised land of digital humanitarianism through the predatory gates of algorithmic and cloud servicesʼ free tech licensing. Our findings highlight how organisation-led digital development, building on open-source systems (despite some “openwashing” practices) and trusted external providers, remains the best option for risk reduction when it comes to algorithmic systems. However, in the short to medium term, this might not be financially and technically feasible for the majority of humanitarian actors, especially considering the catastrophic funding environment. To fill this gap, we propose a toolkit in an appendix to this report. This is a foundational governance model for transforming digital procurement from a transactional into a strategic business function, integrated across key organisational departments. By doing so, protection-mandated aid groups could move from running purchase-centred processes, to adopting a dynamic, proactive, and rights-based approach to tech management. This report also contains a set of recommendations for states and donors, the humanitarian community, tech companies, local aid actors and communities, research centres, and cyber experts." (Executive summary, pages 2-3) more

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World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence
Deep Insights

Washington, DC: World Bank (2026), xxxi, 341 pp.

"This Report is the first comprehensive assessment of what artificial intelligence (AI) means for 6.8 billion people living in low- and middle-income countries. It argues that AI represents a historic opportunity for these countries, potentially enabling them to overcome development challenges that ... have defied solution for decades. Given the scarcity of information on AI’s use in developing countries, the Report sets the ball rolling on closing the gap. It uncovers new facts about how businesses and governments in developing countries are using AI—and identifies the main obstacles to greater and more productive use. AI is a general-purpose technology, or GPT. That puts it in rare company. Steam power. Electricity. Computers and the internet. Each transformed not just one sector, but entire economies, and did so continuously, over decades. Each also followed a pattern: slow and uncertain at first, but eventually reshaping how economies produce and how societies function. AI is following a similar pattern, but on a much faster timeline. It took about 80 years for the steam engine to reach lower-income countries, 40 years for electricity, and 20 years for the internet. By contrast, middle-income countries accounted for half of ChatGPT’s global traffic within six months of its launch. Rapid diffusion on such a scale has not been seen before. But history also teaches us that the countries that benefited most from previous GPTs were not always the ones that came up with the underlying technology. Those that benefited had built the necessary foundations and moved fast to develop applications on top of them. The countries that did not invest in the infrastructure, skills, and institutions that such technologies required to function benefited less and felt the most pain from disruption. This lesson is directly relevant to AI: The winning approach will take advantage of the new technologies, not seek refuge from them. In only a few years, AI has evolved from making predictions to generating content from text, audio, and video to now autonomously executing complex tasks. As it becomes more powerful and pervasive, its value as a tool for development depends on three factors. The first is capabilities. Unlike computers or the internet, AI can perform complex thinking tasks that guide decision-making and usually require human expertise, such as diagnosing diseases, forecasting weather, or advising farmers. These skills are often in short supply in developing countries, so AI has the potential to fill important gaps. The second is concentration. The most advanced AI models, the chips they rely on, and the data centers that run them are controlled by a small number of companies in just a few economies. This concentration creates dependency risks and affects whether the AI tools available will meet developing countries’ needs. However, this concentration also allows countries to customize AI models without having to spend billions of dollars creating the most advanced AI systems from scratch. The third is complements: the foundations that allow AI to be used safely and effectively. AI works best where reliable infrastructure, good education systems, and strong institutions are present. Developing countries often have shortages in all three. AI, moreover, needs to be customized to the local context because it learns from the data upon which it is trained. How quickly countries build these complements—and how well governments and businesses reorganize to use AI productively—will determine how much and how fast AI improves development. In that respect, AI is no different from GPTs that have come before. Ten years ago, World Development Report 2016: Digital Dividends called these prerequisites the analog complements to digital technologies. Today, AI requires both strong analog and digital complements to deliver its full benefits." (Overview, pages 1-2) more

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The People-Centered AI Playbook. Playbook Capsule

Dalberg Data Insights (2026), 44 pp.

"This people-centered playbook [...] is designed to give you the essentials of AI adoption in a quick, accessible format, with core concepts, foundational steps, and key frameworks without overwhelming detail. Built for impact-driven teams in low-resource or non-tech-first contexts, it answers the m ... more

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AI is here. Are we ready?

Eva-Maria Verfürth et al.

D+C: Development and Cooperation, issue 4 (2026), pp. 31-58

"AI is already having a profound impact on our daily lives. The key question is who controls the technology. It is not only in conflicts that AI accelerates the spread of deceptively realistic fakes and makes it harder to distinguish reliable information from manipulation. At the same time, it opens ... more

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Handbook on Data Protection and Privacy for Developers of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in India

Ajey Karthik, Aman Taneja, Sreenidhi Srinivasan, Vidushi Sinha

New Delhi: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All (2026), 117 pp.

"This Handbook is designed as a practical guide for developers of AI systems, especially from early-stage startups, to navigate data protection obligations and ethical considerations, in a clear and actionable manner. Rather than serving as a comprehensive legal or technical manual, the Handbook co ... more

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Step by Step: How SAFE AI contributes to trustworthy AI

CDAC Network; Alan Turing Institute; Humanitarian AI Advisory (2026), 8 pp.

"Based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) AI Risk Management Framework, the seven characteristics of trustworthy AI are: 1. Valid and Reliable: The AI system should perform as intended, delivering accurate results consistently across different situations. 2. Safe: The sy ... more

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WorldCat (261)

From Rural Village to Smart Village: Digital Connectivity for Development

Heather E. Hudson

Routledge (2026), 192 pp.

"This book investigates how the rise of information and communications technologies is transforming life for Indigenous communities and those living in rural and developing areas. The global reach of the internet and the proliferation of mobile phones, broadband and social media have created an inte ... more

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„Hi, how may I assist you?” Chatbots for Better Service Delivery. Practical Guide, Applications and Principles in Development Cooperation
Key Guides

Daniel Brumund, Prashant Pratap Singh, Lisa Werkmeister

Bonn; Eschborn: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) (2026), 48 pp.

"The guide provides lessons-learnt for building AI chatbots and explores: motivations and requirements for developing a chatbot; functional types of AI chatbots suitable for different projects; content and knowledge base behind chatbots; technological architectures for AI chatbots; steering and man ... more

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SAFE AI: A Governance Framework for Humanitarians using AI. How to turn SAFE AI principles into practical action

Helen McElhinney, Anjali Mazumder, Michael Tjalve, Suzy Madigan, Sarah Spencer

CDAC Network; Alan Turing Institute; Humanitarian AI Advisory (2026), 93 pp.

"The SAFE AI Framework is designed to support humanitarian organisations on their AI journey, and navigate the risks raised. Organisations procuring AI systems or designing AI projects will benefit from each tool within this framework, which is intended as a practical approach to using, designing, p ... more

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Practical Insights on Chatbots: How Chatbots Improve International Development Programs

ICTworks (2026)

"Chatbots with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities are emerging as powerful tools in enhancing international development outcomes. These digital assistants are reshaping online interactions and are increasingly leveraged to address complex challenges in developing countries. Their impact o ... n international development can be seen across education, healthcare, agriculture, and governance sectors, by offering scalable, cost-effective, and innovative solutions. Education sector: Chatbots can democratize access to learning resources, especially in remote or underprivileged areas. They can provide personalized tutoring, language learning, and educational support to students, overcoming barriers of distance and the scarcity of qualified teachers. By offering interactive and adaptive learning experiences, chatbots can help improve literacy rates and educational outcomes, thus contributing to the broader goals of reducing poverty and enhancing social equity. Healthcare sector: In regions where healthcare infrastructure is limited or where there’s a shortage of medical professionals, chatbots can offer preliminary medical consultations, symptom checking, and basic healthcare guidance. This can improve access to healthcare information, reduce the burden on healthcare systems, and enable early detection and treatment of diseases. Moreover, chatbots can provide critical public health information and awareness, thereby playing a vital role in disease prevention and health promotion. Agriculture Sector: Farmers can receive real-time information on weather forecasts, pest control, crop rotation strategies, and market prices through simple messaging interfaces. This information can help them make informed decisions, increase crop yields, and improve their livelihoods. Chatbots can also facilitate access to financial services, such as microloans and insurance, further supporting economic development in rural areas. Governance sector: Chatbots can enhance public service delivery and citizen engagement. They can provide a direct channel for citizens to access information about public services, submit complaints, or provide feedback. This can lead to more transparent, responsive, and efficient government services, fostering trust and participation in the democratic process. Chatbot Examples: Read the posts below to learn about the successful implementation of chatbots in international development and how you can do the same. Obviously, chatbot deployment requires careful consideration of challenges such as digital literacy, language diversity, and ensuring ethical AI use. Despite these hurdles, the potential of chatbots to transform international development is immense, offering a pathway to more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development outcomes. Through their ability to provide personalized, accessible, and scalable solutions, chatbots represent a promising tool in the quest to address global development challenges." (https://www.ictworks.org/tag/chatbots) more

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Communicating Sustainable Development Goals in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Muhammad Jameel Yusha'u

Palgrave Macmillan (2026), xlvii, 523 pp.

"This book is the first scholarly work dedicated to examining the complex relationship between artificial intelligence and communicating the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Moving beyond techno-optimist narratives, the book advances a critical theoretical intervention: the AI Sustainability Exclus ... more

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AlgorithmWatch’s guidelines to use generative AI responsibly

Oliver Marsh, Michele Loi

Berlin: Algorithm Watch (2026)

"Whether you use ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini, Copilot or Perplexity – generative AI poses massive problems: many results are inaccurate and politically problematic, the systems’ energy and water consumption is enormous. At the same time, they have become an integral part of everyday life. Algorith ... more

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Three Reasons African Mobile Money Programs Have a $1.7 Trillion AI Problem

Wayan Vota

ICTworks (2026)

"Mobile money is the one unambiguous success story in digital development. In 2024, 2.1 billion registered accounts processed 108 billion transactions worth $1.68 trillion, a 20% jump in transaction volume year-on-year. Sub-Saharan Africa holds over one billion of those accounts. For a field that en ... more

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We Have an Artificial Intelligence Definition Problem in ICT4D

Wayan Vota

ICTworks (2026)

"A new study in the International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science surveyed 200 women micro-entrepreneurs in Bengaluru and reported that 32.5% of them are “actively using at least one AI-enabled tool” in their businesses. The tools, according to the paper, include KhataBook ( ... more

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United Nations Activities on Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Geneva: ITU (2025), xvi, 500 pp.

"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 ... more

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The Routledge Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Philanthropy
Deep Insights

Milos Maricic, Giuseppe Ugazio (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2025), xxv, 57o pp.

"The Routledge Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Philanthropy acts as a catalyst for the dialogue between two ecosystems with much to gain from collaboration: artificial intelligence (AI) and philanthropy. Bringing together leading academics, AI specialists, and philanthropy professionals, it ... more

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Success and failure of ICT for economic development (ICT4EcD) projects in the Global South: Scoping review of underlying factors

Nonkazimulo Nzuza, Ingrid Siebörger

African Journal of Information and Communication (AJIC), issue 36 (2025), pp. 1-23

"Information and communication technology for economic development (ICT4EcD) initiatives in Global Southern contexts encounter numerous challenges that can hinder the achievement of stated project objectives. Available evidence suggests that these projects tend to end in failure more often than succ ... more

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A return of dominant paradigm in China: Making Alibaba a development solution for rural China and the globe

Ziyi Wang

Information, Communication & Society, volume 28, issue 3 (2025), pp. 396–416

"In 2011, Alibaba launched the Taobao Villages initiative, which enables rural e-commerce and connects rural sellers with urban buyers, highlighting the role of e-commerce platforms in reducing rural poverty. This approach was later integrated into national rural development policies. As the Digital ... more

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2025 Technology and Innovation Report: Inclusive Artificial Intelligence for Development

New York: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2025), xiii, 168 pp.

World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence Deep Insights

„Hi, how may I assist you?” Chatbots for Better Service Delivery. Practical Guide, Applications and Principles in Development Cooperation Key Guides

The Routledge Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Philanthropy Deep Insights

World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence
Deep Insights

„Hi, how may I assist you?” Chatbots for Better Service Delivery. Practical Guide, Applications and Principles in Development Cooperation
Key Guides

The Routledge Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Philanthropy
Deep Insights