Nonprofits are embracing AI to advance their missions, but few have a road map for adoption

American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer Shane Jacobson says he is currently in the process of creating a new plan that will look at how his nonprofit has leveraged data and artificial intelligence in the past and what future bets should be made on the technology to support its mission to eliminate cancer. All of Jacobson’s technology investments will support three goals: cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment for patients. “We view technology and AI as an enabler across these strategies,” says Jacobson. “We do not approach artificial intelligence as the strategy, but a tool that’s meant to be tied to the mission and governed responsibly.” By November, Jacobson hopes to have his board’s blessing on the new strategic roadmap. The American Cancer Society’s more concerted effort to focus its AI bets come as a recent study found that while seven out of ten nonprofits report that they believe there are meaningful opportunities to extract benefits from AI, only 8% have a formal roadmap for implementation over the next one to two years. AI is integrated into the workflows of just 4% of nonprofits, according to a survey of 917 industry leaders and staff that was published in September by…