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In an era marked by armed conflicts, climate-driven disasters, and widespread economic dislocation, reaching vulnerable populations with timely humanitarian aid remains a global challenge. Against this backdrop, AI is increasingly being adopted as a tool to improve the efficiency, precision, and reach of humanitarian interventions. From legal aid to food security, AI is supporting humanitarian actors in scaling their services, closing resource gaps, and enhancing decision-making.

One critical area where AI has demonstrated utility is legal and refugee aid. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expanded its AI-assisted communication platform in Jordan, streamlining interactions with over 1,000 Syrian refugees. The system transcribes and translates messages, organizes case data, and helps field workers respond with greater accuracy and speed (Financial Times, 2024). In Hong Kong, the AI chatbot PoBot—developed by Migrasia and supported by Linklaters—has provided real-time, multilingual legal guidance to over 1,800 migrant workers as of early 2025. PoBot helps users navigate complex employment laws, debt disputes, and mental health challenges (Financial Times, 2024).

Singapore has similarly embraced AI in the legal sector. Human rights organizations have begun using Microsoft’s Copilot to compile children’s rights laws and international treaties, significantly reducing the time required for legal research and document generation (Financial Times, 2024). These applications underscore AI’s potential to offset legal aid funding cuts while enhancing access to justice for marginalized communities.

AI is also improving livelihoods in rural settings, particularly in agriculture and education. In Malawi, the chatbot Ulangizi, developed by Opportunity International, provides farmers with localized agricultural advice in Chichewa. It supports real-time decision-making and enhances crop yields among smallholder farmers (Time, 2024). Simultaneously, educators in underserved areas are using AI tools to generate lesson plans tailored to student needs, improving learning outcomes in resource-limited environments.

Moreover, AI’s capacity to analyze large datasets is being harnessed to map poverty in places where traditional data collection is unreliable. Leveraging satellite imagery and mobile phone metadata, researchers can estimate household income and infrastructure levels, thereby enabling targeted aid distribution (Nature, 2025). At Cornell University, machine learning models are now integrated with national surveys to assist policymakers in identifying and prioritizing areas most in need (Phys.org, 2025).

Finally, AI is playing a role in the efficient distribution of humanitarian assistance through digital cash transfers. In Afghanistan, such programs have shown remarkable effectiveness. A recent study found that 99.75% of recipients—primarily poor, female-headed households—successfully used digital payments to meet essential needs, improving both food security and mental well-being (Hernandez et al., 2023; CEPR, 2025).

While AI is not a cure-all for the systemic causes of poverty and displacement, its strategic use in humanitarian aid presents a compelling case for continued investment and ethical innovation. As crises become more complex and resources more constrained, AI may prove indispensable in not only meeting immediate needs but also in building resilience and equity in vulnerable communities.

References

CEPR. (2025). Digital transfers and humanitarian aid effectiveness. https://cepr.org/publications/dp19970

Financial Times. (2024). Pro bono lawyers look to AI to offset funding cuts to aid. https://www.ft.com/content/1fe18586-16c4-4eb5-89cf-41afdf16cf85

Hernandez, D., et al. (2023). Digital payments in humanitarian aid. arXiv. https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.13432

Nature. (2025). AI and poverty mapping in vulnerable regions. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00561-x

Phys.org. (2025). Cornell researchers map poverty with machine learning. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-poverty-world-neediest.html

Time. (2024). AI tools help rural teachers and farmers in Africa. https://time.com/7160849/opportunity-international-ai-farmers-teachers/