Unlocking AI for Social Impact: Hype or Huge Opportunity?
About the session
AI is rapidly entering the social sector, but for many organisations, the question remains: is it hype, or a genuine opportunity to accelerate impact?
This session explores how nonprofits are beginning to use AI tools in practical ways, from saving time on everyday workflows to generating deeper insights that inform strategy and decision-making.
Anthropic will introduce Claude for Nonprofits, demonstrating how tools like Projects, Skills, and Connections can support common organisational needs such as fundraising, strategic planning, impact data analysis, and board reporting.
Building on this, Vera Solutions and Operation Fistula will share real-world examples of how they are implementing AI to streamline work and unlock new insights across health and development programs. The session will also explore how AI can connect across tools and datasets to generate more integrated, portfolio-level understanding.
Alongside these use cases, the conversation will step back to examine what responsible and ethical AI adoption looks like in practice. Participants will be introduced to frameworks for assessing organisational readiness, measuring return on investment, and making informed decisions about when and how AI should be integrated into their work.
The aim is to move beyond abstract conversations and offer grounded, practical insight into what AI can and cannot do for social impact organisations today.
Who this is for
This session is for nonprofit leaders, funders, and practitioners interested in understanding how AI can be applied in real-world settings, particularly in areas such as operations, impact measurement, and decision-making.
What you will get out of it
A practical introduction to how AI tools are being used in the social sector
Real-world examples of AI supporting fundraising, strategy, and impact analysis
A clearer understanding of the opportunities and limitations of AI adoption
Frameworks to assess readiness, ethics, and return on investment
Insight into how AI can enhance impact reporting and data-driven decision-making
Speakers
Frances Pye, Beneficial Deployments, Anthropic
Zak Kaufman, Co-founder & CEO, Vera Solutions
Seth Cochran, Founder & CEO, Operation Fistula
This session offers a grounded look at how AI is already being used across the sector, and what it takes to adopt it in ways that are both effective and responsible.