The United Nations refugee agency has issued a stark warning that misinformation and hate speech are inciting real-world harm to refugees, with artificial intelligence accelerating the spread of false narratives. Speaking at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva on Monday, UNHCR officials called on technology giants to collaborate with humanitarian organizations to reverse the trend.
Information Crises Accompany Displacement Crises
UNHCR emphasized that major displacement crises around the world are often paired with what it terms “information crises.” The agency’s senior adviser on information integrity, Gisella Lomax, told reporters that “the spread of misinformation, hate speech and deepfakes is exacerbating and inciting real-world harm to refugees and humanitarians.” She warned that in war, conflict, and emergencies, these information risks are extremely sharp and can quickly lead to physical harm.
According to UNHCR data, at the end of 2025 there were 117.8 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Of these, 68.7 million were internally displaced and 35.6 million were refugees under the agency’s mandate. Two-thirds of refugees came from just five countries: Venezuela, Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, and Sudan.
Consequences of Distorted Information
Lomax explained that when information is distorted, it can reduce refugees’ access to jobs and education, make integration harder, and threaten social cohesion. “Online rumors, false accusations, scapegoating and dehumanizing speech have triggered protests and attacks. In extreme cases, they have been linked to physical violence, killings, and are even a factor in forced displacement,” she said.
The agency noted that generative AI is compounding these effects at scale. Deepfake videos of UNHCR staff and refugees present a growing challenge, making it harder to distinguish truth from fabrication. Lomax stressed: “This isn’t about how legitimate societal concerns on migration and asylum are debated online — but about life-threatening information risks that can lead to serious harm in humanitarian contexts.”
Call to Tech Companies
UNHCR urged tech companies, AI firms, and digital platforms to partner, invest, and collaborate with humanitarian organizations. Lomax said trusted information is a necessity for refugee protection. “We need to turn the tide on this, and I do see some encouraging progress,” she said, adding that efforts must be systematized and scaled up.
The agency also highlighted that smugglers and traffickers exploit digital platforms to deceive people with false promises of safety and employment, leading them into dangerous situations. UNHCR wants content moderation tools to work effectively in humanitarian contexts and in less-common languages.
AI’s Potential for Good
Despite the risks, UNHCR acknowledged that if handled correctly, AI could be put to good use in managing humanitarian crises. The AI for Good Global Summit, organized by the wider UN, aims to focus on using AI’s potential to serve humanity by solving global challenges and to examine the state of AI standards. UNHCR’s participation underscores the dual nature of AI: a tool that can both harm and help vulnerable populations.
