Artificial intelligence is reshaping societies at an unprecedented speed. UNDP’s 2025 Human Development Report, "A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of AI" argues that AI’s impact will depend less on technology itself and more on the choices societies make in how it is governed and deployed—choices that can either expand or restrict people’s freedoms.

This side event at the 57th UN Statistical Commission will examine human development in the age of AI, with a focus on how progress is measured and understood. It will highlight the methodological foundations of human development measurement, including the data and analytical approaches underpinning composite indices such as the Human Development Index.

The session will then present key insights from the 2025 Human Development Report on how AI shapes human capabilities and choice, alongside findings from the 2025 Global Survey on AI and Human Development. Finally, the event will showcase an innovative data platform hosted by HDRO and demonstrate how its data can be integrated with traditional human development indices to support policy-relevant analysis.