Date: 18:00 – 19:30, 9 September 2025 (JST)
Co-organizers: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations University (UNU)
Support: JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development
Venue: Elizabeth Rose Conference Hall, United Nations University Headquarters, Japan / Zoom Webinar
Registration:
Online: https://undp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WZyFBNbwQ3iPz6K7y7_n5g
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations University (UNU) will co-host a hybrid event, " A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of AI," on September 9, 2025. This event will serve as the launch event for the Human Development Report (HDR) 2025 in Japan.
Since its inception in 1990, the HDR has been published annually by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to assess global trends in human development and stimulate informed policy dialogue. Over the decades, the HDR has become a cornerstone of international development discourse, influencing policy decisions, academic research, and public debate across the globe.
The latest Human Development Report, released in May 2025, explores the theme “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI.” It examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping human development—offering new avenues to enhance capabilities, expand freedoms, and unlock potential. Rather than attempting to forecast the future, the report underscores the imperative to shape it through deliberate and inclusive choices. It calls for bold action to ensure AI serves as a force for equity and empowerment, while also highlighting pressing concerns such as deepening uncertainty and widening disparities, as reflected in trends across the Human Development Index (HDI).
The HDR Japan launch event will serve as a dynamic platform to explore how we can shape the future under the theme of “choice,” with a particular focus on the implications of artificial intelligence for human development. As emphasized in the report, AI presents transformative opportunities to enhance human potential, while also posing significant challenges—including rising inequality and increased uncertainty. The event will foster inclusive dialogue and invite diverse perspectives on the critical choices required to advance sustainable and equitable human development.
Programme:
- Opening Remarks | Hideko Hadzialic, Director, UNDP Representation office in Tokyo
- Welcome remarks | Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector, UNU
- Keynote speech “A Matter of Choice: People and Possibilities in the Age of AI” | Pedro Conceição, Director, Human Development Report Office, UNDP
- Dialogue Session: Exploring Pathways for Human Development in the Age of AI
- Moderator: Tomoyuki Naito, Vice President and Professor, Kobe Institute of Computing
- Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector, UNU
- Yoichi Mine, Executive Director, JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development
- Tiago Ramalho, Co-Founder and CEO, Recursive Inc.
- Toshie Takahashi, Professor, Waseda University
- Q&A
- Closing remarks | Pedro Conceição, Director, Human Development Report Office, UNDP