The United Nations Department of Global Communications is offering a Communications Intern (AI and Innovation) placement in its Strategic Impact and Innovation Section, based in New York in a hybrid format. This 3-to-6-month internship puts you at the centre of how the UN system develops AI governance for public communications, coordinates the inter-agency UNCG AI Lab, and pilots new content and outreach formats in line with UN 2.0.
About DGC and the Strategic Impact and Innovation Section
The Department of Global Communications (DGC) is responsible for informing the public, civil society and Member States with trusted information and communicating the UN story around the world through its global networks and United Nations Information Centres and Services.
Within DGC, the Strategic Impact and Innovation Section of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG) translates the Department’s strategic objectives into practical workflows and measurable outcomes. The Section strengthens cross-divisional collaboration and integrates innovation, impact measurement and insights across programmatic areas. Its specific responsibilities include:
🔹 Guiding the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in the Department
🔹 Leading public messaging and communications on AI
🔹 Convening the inter-agency UN Communications Group AI Lab (UNCG AI Lab)
🔹 Monitoring global AI communications trends
🔹 Piloting innovative content and outreach formats in line with UN 2.0
Internship at a Glance
📍 Location: OUSG, DGC, New York (hybrid, full-time)
⏱️ Working hours: Five days a week, 35 hours per week, in person or in a hybrid format
📅 Duration: Three months, with the opportunity for extension up to six months maximum, depending on the needs of the Section and the availability of the candidate
👤 Supervision: You work under the supervision of the AI lead in the Section, with weekly one-on-one meetings and formal feedback at the mid-point and end of the internship
💻 Equipment: Interns must provide their own hardware (computer), software and internet connection
Seven Responsibility Areas: What You Will Work On
Under the supervision of the AI lead, the selected intern may perform the following functions:
🔬 UNCG AI Lab Support
Support the monthly inter-agency AI Lab meetings, including agendas, notes, follow-up actions and logistics. Document challenges, solutions and pilots shared by participating agencies. Support the research of sub-themes related to the group, ranging from content provenance and disclosure standards to AI visibility to agentic AI.
📋 AI Governance Group
Help capture and maintain a DGC inventory of AI use cases and projects. Document challenges and opportunities and help turn them into case studies to supplement DGC’s Guidelines on the Ethical and Responsible Use of AI in Communications. Support the Governance group in meetings through note-taking and follow-up actions.
📩 Communications Guidelines Enquiries
Help log colleagues’ enquiries on DGC’s Guidelines on the Ethical and Responsible Use of AI in Communications. Identify recurring questions and identify opportunities for further guidance and exploration to support the annual review of the DGC Guidelines. Support the research of emerging areas of AI use in communications.
📈 AI Content Visibility: SEO, GEO and AEO
Help produce UN content on 1 to 2 priority topics, in collaboration with the thematic leads, to boost the visibility of content in large language models. This work supports the UN’s ability to be found and accurately represented in AI-generated responses.
📡 AI Trends Monitoring
Track developments in the broader AI landscape as well as new AI technologies that affect communications work, such as agentic AI, AI-generated media, and content provenance and labelling, and the broader landscape of AI messaging. Help prepare monthly trend digests.
💡 Creative Innovation Ideas and Pilots
Propose new ideas for creative and digital innovation in UN communications, such as new storytelling formats, AI-assisted production approaches or audience engagement experiments. Develop the most promising ideas into short concept notes and pilots in safe testing (sandbox) environments, in line with the DGC Guidelines on the Ethical and Responsible Use of AI in Communications.
🔍 Emerging Areas Research
Support the research of emerging areas, ranging from content provenance and disclosure standards to AI visibility to agentic AI, and transform findings into tip sheets for the Department.
What You Will Gain
This internship gives you direct exposure to some of the most forward-looking AI governance and communications work in the international system:
🎓 Hands-on experience of how the UN system develops and applies AI governance and adoption in communications
🤝 Inter-agency coordination experience through the UNCG AI Lab, working alongside representatives from across the UN system
🛠️ Skills in evaluating AI tools and their risks and turning research into concise briefs and tips
🌐 Exposure to the UN 2.0 areas of data, innovation, digital, foresight and behavioural science
🚀 Depending on skills and interest, the opportunity to lead a small project, such as building an AI pilot relevant to public communications
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Who Can Apply: Academic Requirements
To qualify for the United Nations Internship Programme, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
🎓 Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
🎓 Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent)
Relevant fields include communications, journalism, multimedia, data journalism, AI, computer science, digital media, or a related field.
Applicants must be a student in the second-to-last year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), or have completed a bachelor’s programme. Official proof of enrolment or completion will be required at a later stage.
🚫 Applicants who are children or siblings of a UN staff member are not eligible to apply.
Required Skills and Experience
Applicants must also have:
🤖 Hands-on experience using AI and digital tools for communications, for example large language model (LLM) assistants, custom or agentic AI tools, Adobe Creative Cloud or Figma
📊 Experience in basic data skills (spreadsheets, simple analysis or visualization)
💡 An interest in AI ethics and communications
A strong asset:
An interest in creative communications, innovation and agentic AI is a strong asset. Examples include:
🛠️ Building custom AI assistants or agents
📰 Experimenting with new forms of AI-assisted storytelling and journalism
📈 Creating data visualizations, interactive or immersive content
🔧 Prototyping tools
Personal qualities:
🌍 A demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter
🤝 A demonstrated ability to interact successfully with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs
No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Training, education, advanced course work or skills that benefit the UN during the internship are what count.
Language Requirements
🗣️ Fluency in English is required.
🗣️ Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).
How to Apply
A completed online application is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Your application must include two components:
Cover Note — must include all of the following:
📝 Your degree programme (what you are currently studying)
📅 Your graduation date (when you will graduate or graduated from the programme)
🌟 Why you are the best candidate for this specific internship
🌐 Your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme
💻 One concrete example of how you have used, tested or critically assessed an AI tool
Online Personal History Profile — must include:
👤 All past work experiences
💻 IT skills
📋 Three references
Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted.
Important Practical Information
⚠️ This internship is unpaid and full-time. The United Nations does not financially remunerate interns. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.
📋 Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work or employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.
🔒 Interns must follow UN rules on information security and use only approved AI tools, without entering confidential or personal information into external services.
🚫 No Fee: The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing or training). The United Nations does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
At Youth Works Hub, we review international internship opportunities like this one and list them in one place. Find more international placements in the internship listings, and if you are comparing funded and unfunded options, how funded traineeships really work explains the key distinctions clearly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this internship paid?
No. This internship is unpaid and full-time (35 hours per week). The United Nations does not financially remunerate interns. All costs related to travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses in New York are the responsibility of the intern or their sponsoring institution.
Can I do this internship remotely?
The internship is based in New York in a hybrid format, meaning a combination of in-person and remote work. Full remote participation from outside the United States is not indicated. Successful candidates should clarify the specific hybrid arrangement before accepting the offer.
What is the UNCG AI Lab?
The UN Communications Group AI Lab (UNCG AI Lab) is an inter-agency forum that meets monthly. It brings together communications representatives from across the UN system to share challenges, solutions and pilots related to AI in communications. As an intern you will support meeting logistics, documentation and sub-theme research for the group.
How long is the internship?
The internship is three months, with the possibility of extension up to six months maximum, depending on the needs of the Section and the availability of the candidate.
Do I need prior work experience?
No working experience is required. Training, education, advanced course work or skills that benefit the United Nations during the internship are what matter.
What AI tools experience is expected?
The role requires hands-on experience with AI and digital tools for communications, for example LLM assistants, custom or agentic AI tools, Adobe Creative Cloud or Figma. Experience building AI agents, creating data visualizations, experimenting with AI-assisted storytelling or prototyping tools is listed as a strong asset.
What must my Cover Note include?
Your Cover Note must address five specific points: your degree programme, your graduation date, why you are the best candidate for this specific internship, your interest in the UN Internship Programme, and one concrete example of how you have used, tested or critically assessed an AI tool. Missing any of these will result in an incomplete application.
Deadline
⏳ 08 November 2026
Link
https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/287056?language=en
