AI for Nonprofits - Tori Miller-Liu & Andrew Borg

Polaris is a production of Synozur – the transformation company. Synozur reimagines business for our clients, navigating the complexities of transformation and strategy with ease.

Nonprofits are moving from AI experiments to governed, human‑centered deployments. AIIM's Tori Miller‑Liu and Synozur's Andrew Borg share field lessons, from "conversational search" that cites sources to coalition‑driven ethics and the EU AI Act's impact horizon. 

Takeaways

AI is a force multiplier, not a headcount reducer. The biggest value today is in accelerating research, finance, content triage, and enterprise search—so your people spend more time on strategy and relationships.

Governance is behind adoption. Surveys show most nonprofits use AI in some form, but comparatively few have formal policies—an exposure area leaders should close.

Regulation is real—and staggered. The EU AI Act is now law (entered into force Aug 1, 2024) with phased obligations through 2026; even non‑EU orgs will feel its ripple effects via vendors and data flows.

"Frontier Firm" playbook is emerging. Microsoft's 2025 Work Trend Index highlights human–agent teams and "intelligence on tap"; nonprofits can apply the same operating model to scale impact responsibly.

Ethics + belonging are differentiators. Keep human connection in the loop—AI can process, route, and answer, but it shouldn't replace the sense of community members join for.

Start with existing platforms. Many nonprofit tech vendors now ship AI capabilities; piloting within your current stack reduces cost, risk, and time to value.

Data privacy & access control are non‑negotiable. Especially for nonprofits working in sensitive contexts—design for minimum necessary data and tight permissions from day one.

Sound bites Tori Miller‑Liu

"Use AI to multiply value—not replace people. Our job is advancing member outcomes, and AI helps us do more of that."

"Belonging beats the bot. Let AI handle transactions; keep humans where community and trust are built."

"Start where you are: pilot inside the tools you already own before building from scratch."

Andrew Borg

"For nonprofits, AI is a force multiplier on training wheels—powerful, but it still needs guardrails."

"Keep AI at arm's length ethically. Until models have a moral core, humans must stay accountable."

"Cooperate to accelerate. Sector coalitions let nonprofits share tools, data, and hard‑won lessons."

"Don't buy the hype—buy outcomes. The winners align AI to real missions and measurable value."

References Guest Notes

Tori Miller‑Liu ( LinkedIn): CEO of AIIM (Association for Intelligent Information Management)

Andrew Borg ( LinkedIn ):Head of Ethical AI & Nonprofits at Synozur

Industry Notes

82% of nonprofits are using AI;   Nonprofit Quarterly: "Sector Adopting AI, Building Reserves, and Expanding Missions

European Commission: "AI Act enters into force" (Aug 1, 2024)

Fast Forward's accelerator program saw six times more AI-powered nonprofit applicants than the year before: Stanford Social Innovation Review: "Mapping the Landscape of AI‑Powered Nonprofits"

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