An AI ‘charity task force’ has been launched to champion the responsible, inclusive and collaborative use of the technology across the social sector in order to achieve the maximum impact for society’s collective benefit.

Created through a collaboration between the Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST), and AI consultancy Zoe Amar Digital, the Charity AI Task Force aims to provide the same level of recognition and support for charities as the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce set up last year has for business.

Already backed by more than twenty member organisations, including The National Lottery Community Fund, King’s College London, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, Shelter, and Charity Digital, the Charity AI Task Force intends to make sure emerging tech is as inclusive as possible.

The new task force is currently focused on a handful of missions, including acting as a collective voice for AI in the charity sector, and encouraging collaboration between charities and key stakeholders, for example tech funders, regulators, and businesses.

Also a priority is influencing the responsible, ethical, and sustainable development of AI, both in and outside of the charity sector, as well as developing a coordinated approach to AI that will ensure better support for charities of all sizes.

According to CAST, one of the first tasks the new group is to take on will be responding to the government’s newly-launched AI Opportunities Action Plan, with details to be released in due course.

“The charity sector possesses crucial insights into societal challenges that must inform the development of AI tools,” said Zoe Amar, who will serve as co-chair for the initiative.

“Our immediate priority is responding to the government’s AI plan, to help shape responsible innovation that truly serves communities.”

The charity sector is being somewhat left behind in the AI race, with CAST’s 2024 AI Survey finding that just 6% of charities have an AI policy in place, and that even fewer (5.5%) are collecting data on the impact of AI on their beneficiaries, despite 64% that think the technology could be useful to their organisation.

Few of those working in the sector said that there is enough AI upskilling support among charities (6%), while over half (51%) said their organisation was providing no AI training.

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“At CAST, we have seen time and again the proven power of networks to effect real change,” said Dan Sutch, director of CAST and co-chair of the task force.

“That’s why we feel it is vital at this point for social sector organisations – and the supporting infrastructure – to come together and navigate a path through the rapidly-changing AI landscape. 

“We know that if we can share challenges, identify opportunities, foster partnerships and advocate for support as one unified voice, our presence and influence within this new technology will be strengthened beyond measure.”