Today marks a significant milestone for Microsoft Philanthropies with the launch of the Microsoft Nonprofit Community at the Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit in Bellevue, Washington. This inaugural event brings together thousands of nonprofit leaders, AI experts and innovators from around the world to explore the transformative potential of new AI technologies and address the unique challenges nonprofits face in tackling our world’s biggest societal challenges. It’s an opportunity for these changemakers to meet others on the same journey and to hear from organizations that are using new AI technologies today, to share ideas and imagine the art of the possible to drive change and inclusive economic opportunity.
Empower. Connect. Inform.
The Summit is a steppingstone in our larger journey to together harness technology for greater impact and innovation.
How can we at Microsoft help ensure a future where everyone—from local grassroots programs to global alliances to the communities they serve—has the AI skills, knowledge, and opportunity to participate and succeed in a digital economy?
The Microsoft Nonprofit Community is a space where we can all continue to connect to share resources and explore solutions, meet other leaders on their AI journey and connect with experts. It provides practical tips on how to use AI to get things done and access to digital skills training – all readily available 24/7. The Nonprofit Community helps bring to life that AI is for everyone and can benefit nonprofits of all sizes.
Hope for the future. Power in the present.
In the face of widespread societal challenges, AI gives us both hope for the future and power in the present. What makes it so powerful, is its simplicity. Simplicity for the user. It presents an unprecedented opportunity for nonprofits to transform how they run their organization and deliver services. But change can be intimidating. I love how our CTO of Microsoft Philanthropies, Erik Arnold, sums up the challenge—there is a lot of hope and a lot of justified concerns.
Our CEO Satya Nadella captured why this platform is so important to our company: “Ultimately, our goal is to democratize AI to enable more people and organizations to benefit from this powerful technology and help create a more equitable and inclusive society.” By placing AI tools and knowledge in the hands of those tackling societal challenges worldwide, we're not just sharing technology; we're empowering agents of change in communities around the world.
There's enormous potential for AI to transform nearly every aspect of the day-to-day work of nonprofits and IGOs. For example, the World Meteorological Organization with Early Warnings for All is using Microsoft AI technology and predictive models to improve early warning systems for natural disasters. We've done work in Ukraine, Turkey, Syria, and Maui to help first responders better understand disruptive and life-threatening events and significantly reduce the time between disaster and aid deployment.
AI is also empowering our nonprofit partners, like the Global Integrated Education Volunteers Association (GIEVA) in Nigeria who is at the forefront of educating students, job seekers, and entrepreneurs. By harnessing the power of AI analytics and tools, we are unlocking the potential of our partners to use AI to train learners on a large scale on essential, in-demand skills, including AI literacy itself. By effectively improving learner outcomes, our nonprofit partners can redirect their valuable training and facilitation resources towards providing personalized support for their students, helping to shape a brighter future for all.
There are also many other examples of nonprofits benefiting from these new technologies today. Organizations use AI to streamline processes, automate administrative tasks, and enhance program delivery to maximize operational efficiency – allowing nonprofits to focus on what really matters, connecting with community and the people they serve. They use AI to analyze and interpret data to improve decision-making and measure impact, and integrate AI into educational platforms, training programs, and workforce development, which are critical to success in the digital economy.
Our 2023: Year of AI provides greater details on how organizations use AI to make a difference in their communities today.
Join the conversation
It really is a momentous time for nonprofit leaders. There is an opportunity to bring together the strengths, competencies, and skill sets across sectors to do more together. The Nonprofit Community invites you to join the conversations, share ideas, ask questions, and learn together.