AI for Impact: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Social Innovation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing every facet of business and life, thanks to the accelerated development of generative AI, which has made the technology widely accessible. For social innovators, the ethical adoption of AI in their business models and/or to streamline their operations represents a unique opportunity to maximize their impact. The social economy represents 7% of global GDP, and generative AI could add between $182 billion and $308 billion in value annually to the sector. How can social innovators better understand, access and deploy this technology? This white paper answers this question by drawing on earlier work by the World Economic Forum's AI Governance Alliance (AIGA) and its framework for businesses to unlock value from AI. It maps out the current state of the deployment of AI in social enterprises, drawing on 300 examples, and provides a basis for future thought leadership and practical implementation. →