Many in the social impact community are exploring automation and AI, not to replace human connection, but to protect it. This breakout brings together leaders to share how they adopted automation and AI to navigate a challenging year while staying mission-centered.

Speakers will share real-world examples of how they streamlined operations, reduced administrative burden, and improved engagement with the people they serve without losing the human relationships that drive impact. Expect candid discussion about what technology can and cannot do, how these organizations evaluated tradeoffs before adopting new tools, and the lessons learned along the way.

Attendees will leave with actionable takeaways on how to:

• Identify high-impact processes for automation: Pinpoint repetitive, time-consuming tasks that drain capacity, while clearly defining where human judgment and oversight must remain
• Build organizational buy-in for technology adoption: Engage stakeholders, address common concerns about AI, and align technology decisions with mission—regardless of budget size or internal IT capacity
• Evaluate ROI beyond cost savings: Measure success through time saved, increased capacity, improved beneficiary engagement, and expanded service delivery—not just dollars saved