Skills in the use of artificial intelligence tools are increasingly becoming an expectation in hiring for global development roles — even when AI is not in the job title. As organizations across the sector operate with limited resources, many are looking to use these tools to improve efficiency.
Use of AI among humanitarian professionals is currently clustered around document review, language translation, and support for daily operations, said Ka Man Parkinson, communications and marketing lead with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy, which co-led a global survey on the topic last year. The next level of expertise includes use of AI tools for more contextualized applications, such as monitoring and evaluation, data analysis and visualization, and program management and design, Parkinson explained during a recent Devex event.
But AI expertise remains scarce, according to HLA’s recent pulse check survey. For individual job seekers, this presents an opportunity, said Parkinson — professionals who are proactive in learning AI and engaging in conversations on the topic will be at an advantage in the job market.