In a significant leap forward for HR operations within the United Nations, various UN agencies have collaborated to develop and deploy UNifyHR, an advanced Generative AI tool to streamline human resources (HR) operations and policy management. Initially conceptualized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this tool benefits from the technical support and development expertise of the United Nations International Computing Centre (UNICC) and the participation of 13 UN agencies: IAEA, ICAO, IOM, ITU, UNAIDS, UNDP, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNOPS, UNRWA, UN Women, and WFP.
The UNifyHR Chatbot is powered by advanced Generative AI technology and offers HR operations teams rapid, multilingual access to critical HR policy information from across the participating UN organizations. This innovative tool leverages cutting-edge AI capabilities to simplify the retrieval of complex policy data, enabling HR professionals to respond more quickly and accurately to inquiries. The result is enhanced productivity and better data-driven decision-making, aligning with the UN’s broader goals of improving institutional effectiveness and digital transformation efforts.
The development process for this solution has been a true example of interagency collaboration and reflects the shared vision of the involved UN organizations. This setup ensures that HR teams can easily compare and analyze policies across the UN system, fostering ongoing improvements in HR policy development. The tool has a user-friendly interface, allowing HR professionals to input queries and receive real-time, accurate responses.
UNICC played a key role in building and deploying the solution and working closely with all participating agencies to ensure the highest accuracy in document indexing and prompt responses. UNICC has also incorporated its responsible AI approach and robust cybersecurity component into this solution, leveraging its extensive expertise in deploying solutions in line with the UN’s needs and frameworks. In addition, governance and a human-in-the-loop feedback features have been included to continuously refine the solution, ensuring it remains a reliable and efficient resource for HR professionals through ongoing improvements and refinements after its deployment.
By sharing resources and expertise, the participating organizations, with the support of UNICC, have developed a cost-effective and scalable solution that meets the diverse needs of multiple agencies. This shared infrastructure promotes efficiency while governance and security are maintained under a unified framework.
UNifyHR is officially launched on 8 October 2024, showcasing artificial intelligence’s potential to drive innovation, enhance efficiency, and foster collaboration across the UN family.
About UNICC AI hub of resources:
To harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) within the UN family and other international organizations, UNICC provides expertise, resources, and a collaborative environment for developing and deploying AI initiatives. Through a hub of resources, UNICC explores and implements AI solutions such as app development for automation, predictive analytics, and natural language processing, leveraging AI to enhance operational efficiency and decision-making.
Aligned with its Strategic Framework 2024-2030, UNICC has consolidated a robust portfolio of AI services tailored to UN standards, frameworks, strategies, and principles. This includes fostering strategic partnerships with relevant private and public actors to better support its partners and clients.
