Closing reflections and future directions

The Routledge Handbook of Artificial Intelligence and Philanthropy provides a robust foundation for understanding and harnessing the potential synergies between AI and philanthropy, bringing together contributions by leading academics, artificial intelligence (AI) specialists, and philanthropy professionals. Through multiple disciplinary and professional lenses, contributors unveiled the multifaceted relationship between the two fields – from mapping the application of AI within the philanthropic sector and advocating for philanthropy’s role in guiding the future development of AI in a responsible way to evaluating ethical considerations and risk mitigation strategies. To complement this theoretical knowledge, case studies have provided practical examples of how AI can aid philanthropies’ work and how philanthropic organizations (POs) can champion ethical principles to guide future developments of AI. Importantly, this multidisciplinary approach has allowed for a nuanced discussion on the intersection between AI and philanthropy, not only bringing opportunities and challenges to the forefront but also remarking that the underuse of this technology within the non-profit sector may in itself be a form of misuse that needs to be addressed.