AI is being deployed across UN agencies to support peace, security, human rights, and governance, with a strong emphasis on ethics, inclusive oversight, and governance that keeps humanity at the center.

UN leaders describe AI as both a major opportunity and a risk, urging inclusive, human-rights focused governance to ensure AI strengthens democracy rather than undermining it.

Applications range from crisis response and landmine detection to disaster damage assessment, monitoring illicit finance, tracking radioactive contamination, and accelerating fusion research.

Beyond crisis work, AI is advancing education, health, and environment, including accessible textbooks for children with disabilities, AI-assisted TB screening, and methane leak detection from satellite data.

WHO-supported AI systems analyze chest X-rays to rapidly screen for tuberculosis, enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment, with implementations in countries facing radiologist shortages such as Ethiopia.

AI-assisted TB screening uses computer-aided detection to identify patients needing further testing, speeding up diagnosis and reducing transmission in high-risk areas.

UNEP’s Methane Alert and Response System (MARS) uses AI with data from 30 satellites to detect leaks, issuing thousands of alerts and triggering dozens of mitigations since its 2024 launch.

MARS has prevented emissions equivalent to millions of cars' worth of pollution by enabling rapid detection and action on methane leaks.

UNICEF’s Accessible Digital Textbooks for All leverages AI to convert textbooks into interactive, accessible formats for children with disabilities, reaching nearly two million learners in 17 countries and aiming for 50 countries by 2030.

The program personalizes content and expands inclusive education, helping six-year-olds like Ari access learning through adaptively designed AI-powered materials.

Overall, AI is portrayed as a powerful tool for addressing global challenges when guided by human-rights-centered governance and practical, ethical implementation.