“One of the things that’s really exciting when we think about A.I. and the nonprofit sector is that it’s not just about increasing efficiencies,” says Sarah Di Troia, senior strategic advisor of product innovation at Project Evident, which helps organizations use data to measure and improve their impact. “You can really begin thinking about different types of machine-learning applications or generative A.I. as a way to move towards mission attainment.”
Di Troia joined a panel of experts for an online forum that explained A.I.'s fundamentals and highlighted its potential through real-world examples. Afua Bruce, principal at ANB Advisory Group LLC, which helps organizations use data and technology, and Carrie Fassett, director of partnerships and impact at the Greater DC Diaper Bank joined Di Troia.
My colleague Lisa Schohl wrote in a summary of the forum:
A “critical step to take when developing an A.I. tool is to define clear guiding principles for how you’ll use it, says Fassett of the DC Diaper Bank, which created an A.I. model to help guide its strategy for diaper distribution.” The diaper bank’s principles include “not letting A.I. stop a family from receiving services, not collecting data the group doesn’t need, and ensuring equitable practices for gathering and sharing data,” says Fasset, who also cautions A.I. users to revisit these principles often. “You don’t build your model and then stop,” she says.
When developing principles, Afua Bruce advises nonprofits to include guidelines for collecting and sharing data, compensating people for their time and data, and involving your community in decisions about your A.I. systems. “We have to recognize that, in 2023, caring for our communities, caring for our clients is caring for their digital health and their digital data,” Bruce says.
To learn more, read Lisa’s full summary or watch the video, Experts Weigh In: The Basics and Benefits of Using A.I.
I hope you have a good week,
Margie Fleming Glennon
Senior Director, Product Strategy
