The Charity AI Conference - Thursday 9 July 2026

Interested in sponsoring this event? Please email [email protected] for more information.

What delegates from the 2025 event said:

‘Insightful day with practical advice, including how we as an organisation can approach the ethical use of AI, both in terms of application and liability. Would recommend to anyone exploring AI in the charity space.’– Simon Voysey, The RSA.

‘Extremely insightful and useful sessions from all presenters and speakers. My enhanced understanding and knowledge of the opportunities and possibilities in ways we can use AI has been invaluable. I feel excited for the future and our gradual use and implementation of AI.’ – Susie Stein, Scottish Borders Rape Crisis Centre.

Over the past year, Artificial Intelligence has moved from being a topic of curiosity to a practical consideration for charities across the UK. Many organisations are experimenting with tools and automation, some are still being introduced to AI, while others are beginning to take a more strategic approach to how AI should be used and governed.

As AI becomes more embedded in everyday work (from fundraising and marketing to governance and service delivery), new questions are emerging. What has changed in the past 12 months? Where is AI adding value? What oversight is expected from trustees and senior leaders? And how can charities balance opportunity with risk and environmental responsibility?

Now in its second year, The Charity AI Conference 2026 will help you answer those questions and prepare for the next stage of AI development in the charity sector.

Throughout the day, we will examine the latest developments, explore real examples and consider how charities of different sizes can move beyond isolated experimentation towards a more confident and proportionate approach. Through keynote insights, practical breakout sessions, panel discussions and networking, you will hear from charity leaders and specialists who are using AI in real-world settings.

Whether you are building your understanding or refining an existing approach, you will leave with clearer priorities, practical next steps and greater confidence in how AI can support your mission in a way that works for your charity.

Who should attend?

This conference is for anyone working in the charity sector who wants to understand more about AI and how to practically use it to drive their charity forward. It is suitable for those new to AI and those who are already using AI in their role.

The conference will be especially relevant to:

• CEO’s and Directors
• IT Managers
• Marketing teams
• Fundraising teams
• Operations and Service Delivery teams
• AI working groups
• Trustees

What’s included in the price?

• Attendance to the online conference, keynote session, session talks and networking session
• Access to all presentations and handouts
• Digital copy of Speed Read: Artificial Intelligence (by Matt T. I. Hill)

Agenda

09.30 – Welcome – Join us for introductions and housekeeping rules.

09.40 –  Keynote: AI, Accountability and Impact: What’s Changed for Charities in the last 12 months?
Over the past year, AI has moved from experimentation to everyday use across the charity sector. Copilots are embedded in familiar software, agents are automating tasks, and new tools continue to emerge. Alongside this increased capability, there is an increased responsibility – trustees want assurance, teams need clarity and supporters expect transparency and so charities must consider not only efficiency gains, but ethical and environmental consequences. At the same time, many charities are still building confidence and looking for practical ways to use AI effectively. So, what has genuinely changed and what really matters now?

This keynote will explore:

• The most significant AI developments affecting charities in the past 12 months
• Where charities are seeing real productivity and service improvements
• What’s hype and what’s here to stay
• The risks trustees are asking about
• What the next 12 months will demand from charity leaders

10.15 – Breakout sessions – Choose from:

Session A: Understanding the Basics

If you are new to AI or still building confidence, this session will cover:

• What AI is (and isn’t)
• Key terminology explained simply
• Overview of popular AI tools
• How charities are using AI
• First steps to get started

This session is ideal for beginners working at charities of all sizes or those supporting colleagues who are new to AI.

Speaker: George Knight, Training Consultant, DSC

Session B: AI in Marketing and Communications
Hear directly from a charity marketing professional about how they have integrated AI into their team’s everyday work. They will share how it was introduced within the marketing and communications team, the impact it has had, what worked, what didn’t and the key lessons learned along the way.

Speaker: Adam Baker, Dep. Director of Communications and Supporter Engagement, Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance

Session C: AI Governance in Practice: The role of Leadership and Trustees

As AI is increasingly being used in everyday operations, it moves from a technical issue to a leadership responsibility. Boards and senior teams must ensure AI is used safely, ethically and in line with organisational values. This session will explore:

• Opportunities and risks of AI
• Establishing clear accountability for AI use
• Transparency and risk management
• Reporting on AI at board level
• The key questions trustees should now be asking

This session is designed for trustees, CEOs, senior leaders and anyone responsible for governance and oversight.

Session D: Creating agents with ChatGPT and Co-Pilot

This practical session will guide you step-by-step through the process of building your own custom AI agent – a custom digital assistant that can automate tasks, answer questions, and support your charity’s day-to-day work.

In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to design and create a simple AI agent tailored to your organisation’s needs using ChatGPT or Co-Pilot.

We’ll cover:

• What an AI agent is
• The steps to plan and build an agent safely and effectively
• Risks and limitations

This session will be best suited to those already using AI tools and wanting to go further.

Speaker: José Blázquez, Marketing and Product Development Manager, DSC

11.00 – Coffee break

11.15 – Panel Discussion: Where is the Sector on the AI Curve?

Charities are at very different stages in their AI journey. Some are experimenting with simple tools, some are embedding AI into strategy, governance and service delivery and many are somewhere in between. Many charities also want to be ahead of the curve and focus their learning and development on this but where is the sector on the AI curve and what should charities be focusing on?

The panel will explore:

• Who is ahead and why?
• Why some organisations are still at the starting line
• What “good” looks like
• How small charities can avoid being left behind
• What maturity should realistically look like

12.15 – Case study: A charity’s AI Success Story

In this session, we hear from a charity that has successfully used AI and how you can replicate this success in your own organisation.

13.00 – Networking (option to continue longer into lunch break)

You will be put in breakout rooms so you can have the opportunity to talk with other delegates.

13.15 – Lunch break

14.00 – Breakout sessions: Choose from:

Session E: AI Tools for Charities

With new tools emerging constantly, it can be difficult to know what’s worth using and how to apply them in a charity context. In this practical demonstration session, our trainer will showcase a small number of tools and real-life use cases, including:

• Creating simple automations using Make.com
• Using Claude to generate and structure an Excel-based finance document
• Building a policy and procedures knowledge assistant using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) in NotebookLM

This session is designed to give you a clearer understanding of what these tools can do, how they work in practice, and where they might add value in your organisation.

Speaker: George Knight, Training Consultant, DSC

Session F: AI-Powered Search and SEO: Staying Visible in a Changing Landscape

With AI-generated answers, conversational search and large language models reshaping how people find information, traditional SEO strategies are evolving rapidly. For charities that rely on visibility to reach beneficiaries, volunteers and supporters, understanding this shift is essential. This session will explore this and give you practical advice so you can stay visible to your target audience.

Session G: Practical AI for Small Charities

For those working in or leading small charities, the pace of AI development can feel particularly overwhelming. With limited time, budget and technical capacity, knowing where to start and what to prioritise can be challenging.

This practical session is designed specifically with small charities in mind. It will focus on:

• Low-cost and free AI tools
• When to use (or not use) AI
• Managing risk
• Setting realistic expectations for small teams

You’ll leave with practical, achievable steps that work within the realities of small charity resources.

Session H:  Is Your Data Ready for AI?

Before AI can deliver value, your data needs to be ready. This session will explore:

• Data quality and structure
• Data silos and integration challenges
• Preparing SharePoint and internal systems
• Introduction to Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
• Ethical data use and consent
• When bad data leads to bad AI

14.45 – Coffee break

15.00 – Responsible AI – Law, Ethics & Environmental Impact

AI offers powerful opportunities for charities but it also carries legal, ethical and environmental responsibilities. As adoption increases, charities must ensure their use of AI aligns with their values, protects beneficiaries, minimises environmental impact and maintains public trust.

In this session, we will explore:

• Current UK legal landscape
• Deepfakes and misinformation
• Cyber security risks
• Bias and inclusion
• The environmental impact of AI
  • Energy usage
  • Carbon footprint
  • When not to use AI
• How charities can adopt AI sustainably and responsibly

15.45 – From Experimentation to Impact andLeading AI Change in Your Organisation

Throughout the day, we’ve explored what’s changed, what’s working, and what responsible AI looks like in practice. This session will draw together the day’s insights and help you turn ideas into a focused, practical approach for your organisation.

We will focus on three essential steps:

• Get Clear on Purpose – Align AI with your mission and priorities
• Put the Right Foundations in Place – Create an AI policy, clarify accountability, and ensure good governance
• Lead Change with Confidence – Build staff capability, manage uncertainty, and create a culture of safe experimentation without overwhelming your team.

You will leave with a focused plan knowing what to prioritise, sensible safeguards and what the realistic next steps are for your organisation.

16.15 – Closing remarks by conference chair

16.20 – Conference ends

Speakers

Check out more about your speakers here.

Prices

Early bird pricing to Monday 4 May.

Regular pricing from Tuesday 5 May.

Group bookings – 15% discount

If three or more people are booking from the same organisation, please contact our friendly Customer Services team and we will process your booking with 15% off the total amount. You can email our team here [email protected] or ring 020 4526 5995.

Please ensure one session per time slot is selected below.