Every day, humanitarian organisations work in environments shaped by conflict, displacement, natural disasters and increasingly complex digital threats. At the end of 2024, 123.2 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide. Around 130 armed conflicts were taking place globally, according to the ICRC. In these environments, the ability to work with technology, data and security is becoming part of how humanitarian organisations anticipate crises, protect people and deliver assistance.
AI & Machine Learning can help humanitarians:
→ Analyse huge volumes of information to identify emerging needs
→ Forecast displacement, disasters and other risks
→ Assess damage using satellite and drone imagery
→ Identify patterns that can support faster emergency response
→ Improve how scarce resources are targeted and delivered
The UN has already been exploring AI in emergency response, including machine learning for damage assessment and tools that help humanitarian teams analyse information more quickly.
Cybersecurity matters as much.
Humanitarian organisations hold some of the most sensitive information imaginable — including information about displaced people, missing persons, families and people receiving assistance.
In 2022, a cyberattack on the ICRC compromised the personal data of more than 515,000 people. And the threat is growing. The ICRC says the number and frequency of cyber operations targeting the humanitarian community have sharply risen in recent years. As one recent ICRC research article puts it “Human intelligence … is the most effective safeguard against the risks that AI creates.”
That means the future of humanitarian technology isn't simply about having better tools. It needs people who know how to build, analyse, secure, and use those tools responsibly.
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