Abu dhabi: An international roundtable organized by the Office of Development Affairs at the Presidential Court under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan concluded at Zayed National Museum, Abu Dhabi. The event focused on bridging the gap between predicting humanitarian crises and delivering urgent relief.
According to Emirates News Agency, the "Humanitarian Aid Predictive Landscape Roundtable" featured prominent global experts on humanitarianism and Artificial Intelligence from various international organisations. In his opening remarks, Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, emphasized the expanding role of artificial intelligence in enhancing the humanitarian sector's ability to anticipate and respond to crises. He highlighted that today's technologies enable humanitarian organisations to understand challenges before they emerge and anticipate future needs.
Al Olama noted that the coming phase will redefine humanitarian priorities and international coordination efforts, driven by advanced technologies. He stressed the importance of broader collaboration among governments, international organizations, the private sector, and technology institutions to ensure that AI serves humanity effectively, emphasizing its societal impact.
Jan Rielaender, Head of Resilient and Sustainable Development Strategies at the OECD Development Centre, underscored the need for AI to be guided by principles of transparency, fairness, and accountability. He highlighted the importance of climate resilience planning and understanding shifting climate risks at the local level. Greg Puley, Chief of Climate and Innovation at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, stressed the need to close the gap between prediction and anticipatory action, urging the humanitarian system to leverage AI's potential to anticipate disasters.
Participants at the roundtable discussed challenges in expanding AI use within the humanitarian system, including establishing a solid data foundation, overcoming financial hurdles, and creating a forecasting mechanism. They emphasized the four essential pillars to support the humanitarian system: expanding success stories, addressing challenges, providing vital capabilities, and testing AI applications.