‘What becomes more crucial is judgement and leadership, embedded across every area of the charity.’
These words from Richard Sagar at CFG, who joined our roundtable on AI and the future of the charity workforce this summer, have stayed with me. They sum up something I hear in almost every charity I work with at the moment: a sense that AI is going to change the nature of our jobs, and concern about what that means for job security.
That roundtable, with senior leaders from ACEVO, NSPCC, Hospice UK, Oxfam, Trussell, Citizens Advice and many others, shaped the report we launched last month with Corndel and Microsoft, What does the future of the charity workforce look like in the age of AI?, I was struck by the depth of their thinking, from how roles could evolve to ambitious plans for reskilling staff.
AI adoption has raced ahead of workforce planning
Our 2026 Charity Digital Skills Report found that 79% of charities are now using AI, yet only 10% are planning for its future impact on roles and staff, and 45% are taking no action on AI workforce planning at all. Charities have embraced the tools, but most haven’t yet had the conversation about what they mean for their people.
The skills picture makes that gap even more pressing. 56% of charities say limited skills and expertise are their biggest barrier to AI progress. The divide between small and large charities is growing too: only 24% of small charities are using AI actively or strategically, compared with 49% of large charities. If we don’t plan for the people side of AI, those gaps will only get wider.
None of this is about charities failing to keep up. Leaders have had a huge amount on their plates. And this isn’t a story about job losses, at least not yet: only 1% of charities are reducing headcount because of AI. But that’s exactly why now is the right time to plan, while charities still have the space to make careful choices about where AI is used, what stays human and how roles are redesigned, rather than reacting once decisions have already been made.
As Richard suggests, AI is likely to affect every role in some way, though not to the same degree. In knowledge roles in particular, we’re likely to see a shift from doing the work to directing, validating and sense-checking it. That makes workforce planning a question for leadership teams and boards, not just the digital team.
Protecting what makes our sector unique
Human connection is our sector’s greatest differentiator, and it should be one of the touchstones for how we plan. So, if your charity is brilliant at supporting people face to face, how might AI free up more time for your staff and volunteers to do more of that?
My worry is that as budgets get tighter, AI is seen as a quick route to efficiency, and that the impact of change falls unevenly. The report warns that women, people from marginalised communities and those in entry-level roles, could be most affected. Entry-level roles are also where many future charity leaders get their start, so we need to think carefully about how we protect that pipeline. Responsible AI isn’t only about tools, data and governance. It’s also about who benefits, whose role changes and who carries the burden of transition.
Where charities can start
Workforce planning doesn’t need to begin with a big technology programme. It can start with a conversation at your next leadership team or board meeting about how AI is already being used, what it could mean for roles and skills over the next two to five years, where human connection must be protected and who may be affected most. Staff and volunteers need to be part of that conversation and given real opportunities to learn and adapt.
Skills are going to be central to this, so every charity will need to become a learning organisation, from frontline staff right through to trustees. But charities can’t do this alone. They need flexible, multi-year funding for digital core costs, skills and workforce transition, and co-ordinated support from infrastructure bodies so that each charity isn’t solving the same problems on its own.
Our report includes a practical checklist to help leaders, trustees and funders start planning, and you can read it here. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to the roundtable, and to Corndel and Microsoft for working with us.
We don’t have all the answers, and this report is the start of a conversation rather than the final word. So, I’d love to know: how is your organisation starting to plan for what AI will mean for your people?