Kick starting your nonprofit’s AI journey

In early May, PoliSync launched the six-part AI for Social Good webinar series with the first webinar, Kick start your nonprofit’s AI journey, co-hosted by by PoliSync and the Institute for Global Negotiation.

Here are three key takeaways from our expert panelists:

1. Start small. Learning happens through doing.

"Start by getting started... There's no way to get ahead of it, and there's also no way to know how it might be useful or helpful for you until you start interacting with it." - Edd Baldry, Director of Design and Development at Make Sense of It.

AI doesn’t need to be intimidating. The best way to learn is by doing. Use CoPilot or ChatGPT to help with basic, low-stakes tasks like summarising meeting notes or drafting ideas. Edd emphasised that early experimentation, without pressure to be perfect, can uncover unexpected value and build confidence across your team.

2. Don’t ignore AI, manage it.

"It should be regulated in a smart way, not in a way that stifles everything, but in a way that makes us all more responsible." - Tea Mustać, AI specialist and Head of Operations at the Institute for Global Negotiation.

Tea highlighted that informal or unmonitored use is already happening in many workplaces, often without oversight. Even organisations at the start of their AI journeys should take steps now: log what’s being used, train users to question outputs, and establish basic policies. Responsible use isn't about complexity - it's about accountability.

3. Balance curiosity with caution. Create safe spaces to experiment

"I see a lot of optimism and a lot of insecurity... It's great to give ourselves permission to play with it." - Brent Phillips, Humanitarian AI Podcast Producer

The AI landscape can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Brent noted that nonprofit teams often hesitate to act because they fear doing it “wrong.” But safe experimentation, especially at the team level, can unlock innovation and improve productivity.

Didn’t make it to the webinar, or want to watch it again? Watch the recording here.

Learn more about the webinar series here and access free AI resources here.

The AI for Social Good webinar series is a not-for-profit initiative made possible by Microsoft Philanthropies.