Teams are constantly promised that AI can save time, scale up services, raise more money, and make smarter decisions. For mission-driven organizations, the real question isn’t “Can we use AI?” It’s “Should we?” This session cuts through the hype to offer a grounded, values-based framework for using AI to amplify participants' good work without compromising human connection, organizational integrity, or community trust.
Rooted in lessons from nonprofit, governments, and B-corps that have tried—and sometimes failed—to implement AI, this session helps mission-driven workers build confidence and clarity as they align their AI use with their mission. Participants will explore common pitfalls and contrast them with real-world examples of AI augmenting, rather than replacing, critical human superpowers.
Population served: Nonprofit, municipal government, and B-corp professionals; community-serving organizations in San Diego and beyond.
Needs addressed: Navigating AI adoption ethically and effectively in mission-driven work. Facing rapid technological change with confidence. Developing the skills to evaluate new tech and align it with mission and values.
Outcomes and impact: Attendees will leave with clarity on how to evaluate AI tools, avoid mission-alignment risks, and implement technology that enhances (rather than erodes) their community impact.
Attendees will also receive the Mission-First AI Toolkit, which supports organizations in aligning technology use with their mission, community values, and existing capacity. These tools were developed by the speaker, Karen Boyd, who has a PhD in information science and has published peer reviewed research on ethics in AI development, AI in the workplace, and the future of work.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Distinguish between tasks that are appropriate for AI use and those that require human judgment, based on a mission-aligned evaluation framework.
2. Describe how AI could be safely and effectively deployed for at least one workflow in their role, including identifying at least three specific risks associated with AI use in their organization.
3. Apply the Mission-First AI Toolkit to evaluate the suitability of an AI tool or practice within their organization’s fundraising strategy