Behavioural
Horizons
Behavioural Horizons
Futures of Behavioural Data Science, AI, Technology & Development for Children
November 17–19, 2025 | Salone Brunelleschi Room, Istituto degli Innocenti, Florence, Italy
A dynamic convening to explore future possibilities and the transformative potential at the intersections of behavioural science, data science, and Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AI/ML) for child health, education, and protection globally.
Behavioural Horizons brings together academic researchers, private sector innovators, behavioural science experts, development practitioners, donors, and agency partners to explore emerging applications of behavioural data science and AI/ML in support of child rights.
The event is grounded in the UN Secretary General’s call for a UN 2.0, emphasizing behavioural science, data, digital technologies, innovation, and foresight as core capabilities to meet today’s global challenges and drive progress toward the SDGs.
Key themes to explore at the intersection of behavioral science, data science, and AI/ML include new horizons of possibility in:
Measurement:
Developing more valid, reliable, and equitable ways to capture the constructs that matter most for children, from cognitive development and social-emotional skills to wellbeing and resilience.
Prediction and Simulation:
Anticipating which children are at risk, forecasting how behaviours spread through communities, and testing intervention scenarios before real-world implementation.
Optimisation:
Delivering the right scalable intervention to the right child at the right time, with programs that adapt based on individual responses and contextual factors.
Impact Evaluation:
Determining what works, for whom, and under what conditions, even in complex settings where traditional evaluation methods fall short.
These emerging applications and opportunities in the fields of behavioral data science will be explored in relation to tackling real-world challenges, with a focus on keeping children healthy, safe, and learning.
Event Objectives
The Behavioural Horizons event will be a seminal moment in shaping the future of behavioural data science research priorities, investments, and applications in international development and humanitarian action. The specific objectives are to:
Begin to develop a shared vision of where the big opportunities in behavioural data science will be in the next five years for international development and child wellbeing.
Identify the most promising areas of focus at the intersection of behavioural science, data science, and AI/ML to secure results and rights for children.
Develop a roadmap of current terrain and future possibilities, including requirements and recommended paths forward to advance the field of BDS.
Connect academics, practitioners, and development partners to learn from each other and work across specialities, sectors, and silos.
High Level Agenda
Agenda subject to change
Day 1 – November 17
14:30 – 15:00 | Arrivals and Registration
15:00 – 17:45 | Opening Session
- Introduction to behavioural data science
- Connect with fellow practitioners around the work
18:00 | Rooftop Aperitivo
Day 2 – November 18
09:00 – 12:00 | Learning about Behavioural Data Science
- Panel: What are we solving for?
- Round Robins: How can behavioural data science improve child wellbeing?
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch
13:00 – 17:00 | “Big Bets” About the Future
- Mapping solutions to problem areas
- Develop “big bets” about the future of behavioural science, AI/ML, and data science
- Begin to align on the most promising opportunities in behavioral data science for international development and humanitarian action
Day 3 – November 19
09:00 – 12:00 | Sharpen the “Big Bets”
- Define and scope the most promising areas of focus
- Articulate requirements and the anticipated value and impact of strategic investments in behavioral data science
12:00 – 13:00 | Lunch
13:00 – 17:00 | Develop a Recommended Path Forward
- Detail the terrain and milestones for a 5-year roadmap toward the future of BDS in international development
- Unpack the specifics of promising areas of focus and what requirements and investments would be needed to realize the potential of the field
- Align on potential partnerships and knowledge products to prioritize for the near term
