DigiShift 89: a new AI playbook for charities

Join Edd Baldry and Suzanne Begley from Make Sense of It on DigiShift 89 to talk about their new AI Playbook for Charities.

The rapid pace of AI development shows no signs of slowing. As capabilities expand and costs decrease, the technology becomes increasingly accessible to organisations of all sizes. For charities, this presents an opportunity to enhance their impact and extend their reach, but only if they can implement AI in a way that aligns with their values and operational realities.

The aim of this playbook is to distil practical, actionable guidance grounded in real-world experience. Make Sense of It are keenly aware that using AI requires a delicate balance. They are as uneasy as others about some of the bad outcomes that AI can cause. Rather than promoting hype, their aim is to offer a structured path forward that helps charitable organisations navigate this transition thoughtfully and effectively, ensuring technology serves their mission rather than distracting from it.

Edd and Suzanne have decades of experience working both within charities and alongside them as consultants. Across AI, design, strategy and digital transformation they’ve worked with the likes of RNIB, CRUK, Mencap, Macmillan, YoungMinds, Cruse, Young Lives vs Cancer, Breast Cancer Now, Greenpeace, GOSH charity, the UN and many, many others. They also have experience working with, and inside, corporations like Google and Dyson. This range of experience has given them unique insight into how technology adoption can serve charitable missions.

Edd Baldry is an award-winning designer and innovation leader with two decades of experience helping organisations create positive social change through technology. They've been working on AI projects since 2017 and ran an AI startup from 2020 to 2022. Their expertise spans artificial intelligence, service design, and digital transformation, with a particular focus on the nonprofit sector.

Suzanne Begley is a strategic leader in nonprofit digital transformation, with over two decades of experience helping organisations amplify their social impact. As co-founder and former director of the award-winning agency Public Life, she has shaped digital strategies and services for prominent charities including Mencap, Macmillan Cancer Support and YoungMinds. 

Anyone looking for guidance on harnessing the potential of AI responsibly within their charity

Since March 2020, DigiShift has helped thousands of charities and nonprofit organisations learn and collaborate. Run in collaboration between SCVO and Third Sector Lab, and supported by the National Lottery Community Fund (Scotland), DigiShift offers practical and actionable advice from digital experts.