Humanitarian Academy 112d ago

What does it mean to build AI for communities that face connectivity and power supply challenges? It's a question that goes to the heart of one of the most pressing debates in AI development today – who builds these tools, who they're built for, and whose needs shape them. In this interview we hear from Ivan Toga from Uganda, and his views on humanitarian work, climate negotiations, and the case for localised artificial intelligence Ivan Toga was one of 1,729 individuals from 120+ countries and territories who participated in the Humanitarian Leadership Academy and Data Friendly Space's Humanitarian AI January 2026 pulse survey – an ongoing effort to track how humanitarians are using AI in their work. A volunteer turned climate negotiator, he speaks from the intersection of refugee response, climate finance, and the push for localised AI. In this own words, drawn from a follow-up interview conducted by research co-lead Ka Man Parkinson, Ivan explains how he is currently using AI and his aspirations for the future. Ivan joined the call from Rhino Refugee Camp in northern Uganda. The connection dropped repeatedly throughout the call – a challenge that, as Ivan went on to explain, is central to his work. Read the full interview here: https://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/we-need-an-ai-that-is-good-for-all-of-us-a-humanitarian-perspective-from-uganda/