From strategy to scale: The AI Accelerator elevates civil society’s AI maturity

To successfully adopt AI, you need to take a holistic approach and think of AI as more than just an IT issue. We see that the most appreciated elements have been the concrete templates and workshop exercises that relate to innovation processes and change management.

Carl Norling Markai

Impact Initiative developer at AI Sweden

The insight from the AI Accelerator that I will use first at Individuell Människohjälp (IM) is that AI is not primarily about technical solutions. AI is about strategy and leadership. An opportunity that lies directly in front of us, just waiting for us to pick it up. Not as a tech-curious individual, but as an organization of the future.

Anders Berg

Operations strategist at Individuell Människohjälp (IM) and participant in the AI Accelerator for civil society

What we at WWF appreciated most about the program was the overall structure and the so-called AI House. It makes us feel much more secure as we now move forward and plan how to apply AI in our organization without missing any important steps.

Johan Söderblom

Applied AI Specialist at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

The meeting with other civil society organizations and inspiring examples from operations that have progressed further gave me both inspiration and concrete insights. The workshop using the AI House model opened up new perspectives, a deeper understanding of the competencies needed, and the processes that must be developed to create real value with AI.

Maria Nordmark

Innovation Leader at Stockholms Stadsmission

A key insight is how effective the collaborative format of having a shared workspace was. There, we could explore approaches and create strategies that we then had the opportunity to validate against the material of the other participants almost immediately. This foundation also provided excellent conditions for the discussions, where insights and the exchange of lessons learned were further strengthened.

Palle von Reybekiel

AI Strategist at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

We have learned a lot from how other organizations work with AI. The program has truly inspired us and given us resources and tools to get started with AI in a structured way. I particularly appreciate the templates that help us through every step of our AI journey. The use case template is particularly effective for the concrete assessment and planning of AI initiatives that are both relevant to our organization and value-adding.

Rodolfo Zúñiga

Head of Digital Safety and Projects at Save the Children (Rädda Barnen)

The AI Accelerator gave me tools, inspiration, and confidence to drive AI integration within Childhood. It was incredibly valuable to take the next step, together with other civil society organizations, to understand and explore the potential of AI to make us smarter and stronger actors for a better society. One of the tools I appreciate most is the AI Opportunity Mapping, which can very concretely help us identify where AI can add the most value for us as an organization.

Britta Holmberg

Director Global Programs & Advocacy at World Childhood Foundation