Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Wednesday launched its flagship Human Development Report 2025, which explores the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to drive human development and improve people’s lives.
The report titled “People and Possibilities in the Age of AI,” was unveiled at a high-level breakfast dialogue in Harare and it also highlights the associated risks and challenges of AI development and deployment.
AI has the potential to accelerate service delivery, facilitate economic diversification, and connect countries to national, regional, and global value chains.
UNDP Resident Representative in Zimbabwe, Dr Ayodele Odusola it was important to embrace AI and engage with it critically, strategically, and proactively, and make it work for Zimbabweans.
“AI is not the future. The future is what we choose to do with AI today,” he said.
“Let’s embrace AI and engage with it critically, strategically, and proactively, and make it work for us, Zimbabwe, and Zimbabweans”.
He said the UNDP was committed to supporting Zimbabwe’s AI transformation by convening stakeholders, shaping forward-looking policies, building local capacity, and piloting inclusive, home-grown innovations that leave no one behind.
Already the organisation is collaborating with various stakeholders to push the frontier of AI for development transformation, including the application of AI and automation in key economic sectors, such as agriculture and healthcare.
It is understood that AI also poses significant risks, including threats to data privacy, the spread of fake news and misinformation, and impacts on mental health.
Human-centred AI strategies prioritising inclusivity, equity, and sustainability are essential for harnessing AI’s benefits while minimising its risks.
The Minister of Information, Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services , Cde Tatenda Mavetera said the country was embracing human-centred AI by integrating it into the education systems to ensure that young Zimbabweans are not mere consumers of technology but co-creators of it.
The launch event was attended by experts and stakeholders who discussed AI’s potential to drive inclusive and sustainable development in Zimbabwe.
The dialogue focused on key questions, such as how Zimbabwe can use AI to accelerate service delivery, facilitate economic diversification, and strengthen connections to national, regional, and global value chains.
Sidumisile Mabena