AI, ethics and governance
How can nonprofits benefit from AI, without compromising ethics and trust?
In our third AI for Social Good webinar, on Thursday 22 May, we unpacked AI, ethics and governance. Our panelists discussed how nonprofits can adopt AI in ways that are practical, inclusive and aligned with their missions.
Moderated by PoliSync Tech4Good Strategist, Sandra Uwantege Hart, experts Paola Gálvez Callirgos🌐, AI Ethics Non-Resident Fellow, Globethics and Asheesh Khaneja, Innovation Catalyst at Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation shared their insights.
From real-world risks to actionable frameworks, here are our top takeaways to help nonprofit leaders and teams navigate this fast-evolving space.
“AI ethics isn't a constraint. It is essentially a foundation that organizations need to create to enable sustainable innovation going forward.” - Asheesh Khaneja
Rather than seeing ethical governance as a barrier, Asheesh reframed it as the groundwork for innovation. With well-structured policies and oversight, nonprofits can build trust and reduce harm while still leveraging the benefits of emerging technologies.
“The better the data, the better your AI system would be.” - Paola Gálvez Callirgos
“Bias ends up leaving the most vulnerable populations even further behind.” - Asheesh Khaneja
Paola and Asheesh offered a clear warning: poor data quality and weak governance don’t just reduce AI’s effectiveness, it risks deepening inequality. For nonprofits, ethical AI starts with inclusive data and strong oversight to ensure the technology works for vulnerable communities, not against them.
“Let's not think that because you are a small organization, you don't need an AI governance policy.” - Paola Gálvez Callirgos
Digital literacy isn’t optional. Even small nonprofits should take simple but deliberate steps toward responsible AI use. This includes defining internal rules, understanding team needs, and ensuring transparency in how AI is applied, especially as tools become more accessible.
Watch the webinar, and others in the series, free on Youtube here.
Find out more about the AI for Social Good series here.
Access free AI resources here.