UN Reports Worst Human Development Slowdown in 35 Years

Global human development progress has hit its lowest level since 1990, Xinhua revealed citing a UNDP report released Tuesday. The 2025 Human Development Index (HDI) shows stalled growth across all regions, with inequality between high- and low-development nations widening for a fourth consecutive year.

UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner warned that persistent stagnation could create a “less secure, more divided world” vulnerable to economic and ecological crises. The report cites trade tensions, debt burdens, and “jobless industrialization” as key challenges, particularly for low-HDI countries.

While acknowledging AI’s disruptive potential, the survey found 60% of respondents believe it will create new employment opportunities. The report urges a human-centered AI approach, emphasizing: Human-AI collaboration in workplaces; Maintaining human oversight in AI development; and Modernizing education and healthcare systems;

“This isn’t a temporary setback but an alarming trend,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, noting the failure to rebound post-2021 crises. The findings appear in UNDP’s flagship report A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI.