AI’s Growing Role in Humanitarian Work Raises Questions on ‘Do No Harm’, Localization, and Humanity

During a half‑day workshop on 2 October 2026, CartONG examined how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping humanitarian practice. While 95 % of practitioners report using AI tools individually, only 9 % say their organisations have fully integrated the technology. The discussion highlighted that AI can amplify existing challenges—poor data quality, entrenched biases, and opaque “shadow AI” that operates without clear governance. It also raised concerns about the principle of localisation, as many AI tools are developed and controlled by a handful of northern tech firms. The panel argued that AI must be deployed within a framework of responsible data management, human accountability, and proportionality to avoid undermining the very humanitarian values it seeks to support. A follow‑up article will outline concrete action steps for NGOs.