The unit is known for producing in-depth investigative reports and documentaries on a wide range of global issues, including politics, human rights and corruption.

It was formed in 2012 when Al Jazeera decided to create a specialized team whose sole mission was to generate breakthrough content.

The I-Unit's documentaries have won over forty awards and in December 2019, it began its own podcast, series, Al Jazeera Investigates.

[4] Notable investigations that made global headlines include Pakistan's Bin Laden Dossier,[5][6] The Spy Cables,[7][8] Inside Kenya's Death Squads,[9][10] The Dark Side,[11] The Lobby,[12][13] Cricket's Match Fixers,[14] How to Sell a Massacre,[15][16] and Anatomy of a Bribe.

[17] The I-Unit operates under the codes and practices of Britain's Office of Communications, Ofcom, the United Kingdom's government approved broadcast and telecommunications regulator.