The world is witnessing the slowest growth in human development in 35 years, according to the latest United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report released on 6 May 2025. The 2025 Human Development Report, titled “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI)”, paints a concerning picture of global progress, with the smallest increase in the Human Development Index (HDI) since records began in 1990-excluding the exceptional crisis years of 2020 and 2021.
The Human Development Index, which measures achievements in health, education, and income, showed only marginal improvement in 2024. This weak progress comes after a brief rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that the momentum gained in 2023 is now fading. The report warns that if this sluggish pace becomes the new normal, the world’s ambition to achieve very high human development by 2030 could be delayed by decades, making societies more insecure, divided, and vulnerable to economic and ecological shocks.
UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, “For decades, we have been on track to reach a very high human development world by 2030, but this deceleration signals a very real threat to global progress. If 2024’s sluggish progress becomes ‘the new normal’, that 2030 milestone could slip by decades”.
Widening Inequalities
The report also points to widening inequalities between rich and poor nations. For the fourth consecutive year, the gap between countries with low and very high HDI scores has increased, reversing earlier trends of narrowing disparities. Countries with the lowest HDI scores are facing especially severe challenges, driven by rising trade tensions, worsening debt crises, and the growing threat of “jobless industrialisation”. The number of conflicts is also rising, while both life expectancy and income growth have stalled in many regions.
Despite these global challenges, some regions have shown resilience. The Asia-Pacific, particularly South Asia and East Asia, recorded significant HDI gains since 1990, with South Asia’s HDI increasing by 4.8% in 2023 alone, helping to recover from pandemic losses. However, even these improvements are not enough to offset the broader global slowdown.
India’s performance, as detailed in the report, reflects both progress and persistent challenges. India climbed to 130th out of 193 countries in the HDI rankings for 2023, up from 133rd in 2022. The country’s HDI value rose from 0.676 to 0.685, placing it in the medium human development category and moving it closer to the high development threshold of 0.700. Life expectancy in India reached 72 years, the highest since the index’s inception, thanks to sustained efforts in public health and welfare programmes. However, inequality continues to undercut India’s achievements, with income and gender disparities remaining significant.
Focus on AI
A key feature of the 2025 report is its focus on Artificial Intelligence. The UNDP notes that AI could be a game-changer for human development, with 60% of people surveyed believing it will create new job opportunities, even as half worry it could transform or replace existing roles. The report calls for a human-centred approach to AI, urging countries to modernise education and health systems, and to ensure that people work with AI rather than compete against it.
The UNDP warns that without decisive action, the world risks prolonged stagnation in human development. The report advocates for policies that address inequality, strengthen international cooperation, and harness the potential of new technologies like AI to reignite progress and open up new possibilities for all.
