AI Humanitarian technologies are helping aid agencies improve disaster response by delivering supplies in dangerous areas, analysing population movements and supporting refugees with faster legal assistance.

At the AI for Good Summit in Geneva, humanitarian organisations highlighted practical applications of artificial intelligence that could make emergency operations safer, faster and more effective.

One of the main attractions was an AI-enabled Sherp vehicle developed in Ukraine. The amphibious truck can travel across flooded rivers, swamps and rough terrain while carrying humanitarian supplies.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) plans to begin field testing a remotely operated version of the vehicle in Uganda in 2028.

Bernhard Kowatsch, head of WFP’s Global Accelerator and Ventures Innovation Division, said the technology could help aid workers reach communities that were previously inaccessible because of conflict or hazardous conditions.

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The WFP already uses Sherp vehicles in Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda. After losing several drivers during relief missions, the agency partnered with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to develop an AI-supported remote driving system.

Under the project, operators will control the vehicle from a secure shipping-container command centre while it completes the most dangerous section of its journey.

DLR project coordinator Armin Wedler said AI processes the large amount of data collected by the vehicle’s cameras and sensors, making remote operation possible.

However, he stressed that human operators will remain in control because unpredictable humanitarian environments require human judgement.

He said fully autonomous driving would not safely manage situations where desperate civilians suddenly surround aid vehicles or where roads do not exist.

Other organisations also demonstrated AI-powered humanitarian tools at the summit.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) introduced a Legal Virtual AI Assistant that helps lawyers quickly identify refugee rights under different national legal systems, allowing them to prepare cases more efficiently.

The United Nations also showcased the Data Insights for Social and Humanitarian Action (DISHA) initiative, which works with partners including Google and McKinsey to improve disaster response through AI.

One DISHA project analyses anonymised mobile phone data to detect mass displacement during emergencies, helping aid agencies identify where people have moved.

Another project uses AI to compare satellite images captured before and after disasters, allowing responders to quickly assess building damage and direct assistance to the areas that need it most.

Developers said these AI-powered tools give humanitarian organisations faster and more accurate information, enabling them to make better decisions during emergencies while improving the delivery of life-saving assistance.