This module focuses on how AI is already being used across the philanthropic sector. We will look at practical applications, from internal decision-making and impact measurement to external coordination with grantees and partners, while also addressing emerging tools. You will discover how these technologies can improve efficiency and insight, but also where they fall short. By the end of the module, you will be better equipped to judge when and how AI can meaningfully support philanthropic goals in real-world settings.

AI and philanthropy do not look the same everywhere. In this module, we examine how regional contexts across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and the MENA region shape AI adoption, readiness, and use in philanthropy. We will explore why differences in culture, regulation, data availability, and philanthropic traditions matter. This comparative perspective will help you understand how strategies must be adapted to local realities, and why a one-size-fits-all approach to AI in philanthropy does not work.

In this module, you will learn how philanthropy can shape the development, deployment, and regulation of AI. Together, we will examine philanthropies' roles in funding technical R&D, supporting public-interest AI, and influencing governance and regulatory frameworks at national and international levels. You will also critically assess the opportunities and risks (including from lack of intervention) of philanthropy in the highly strategic and politically sensitive domain of AI.

In this final module we close with the question that sits behind everything we have covered so far: how do we make sure that AI serves people and the societies they live in? You will start by learning about the principles of digital ethics, to then examine the main efforts to regulate AI, and the governance policies and laws that support its responsible use. You will get to know the key initiatives and see how philanthropy can complement them. To conclude, you will critically assess what role philanthropy can play in strengthening independent public institutions in the era of A, and how can it help mitigate threats to a free society, and uphold it.