Before We Deploy: What Responsible AI Requires in the Real World

This session moves beyond principles to the practical decisions organisations are facing now: how to conduct meaningful due diligence, identify risks before deployment, decide where AI should and should not be used, and build responsibility into the design of AI-enabled programmes and tools. It will also explore emerging approaches including regenerative AI design, edge AI for climate applications, and the responsible use of tools such as Claude for impact intelligence. Rather than trying to settle on another broad set of AI principles, the conversation will surface where the real friction lies and ask what climate and social impact organisations can actually do about it. Discussion Group Leaders Katrina Seidel is Chief Growth Officer at Vera Solutions, advancing technology solutions that help impact-driven organizations operate more effectively and efficiently. Mara Puacz is Founder at NONLINEAR Impact / UMANO.Atlas, advancing responsible AI and technology-driven solutions to social challenges including loneliness and nonprofit capacity. Sara Blenkhorn is Director of Innovation at Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI), advancing regenerative systems change through organizational strategy, coalition-building, and AI-enabled innovation. Jaspreet Singh is Co-Founder at ICAAD, advancing human rights and systemic equity through law, technology, and art. What to expect A hands-on roundtable and workshop for climate and social impact leaders. Participants will work through real questions and deployment scenarios, compare how their organisations are approaching responsible AI, and identify where shared definitions, tools or practices could help. The emphasis will be on learning from one another and leaving with practical ways to interrogate AI decisions before they become embedded in programmes and organisations. Who this is for This session is for climate and social impact leaders, funders, technologists, programme designers and practitioners who are already using AI or making decisions about where and how it should be deployed, particularly in contexts where the consequences of those decisions matter most. What you will get out of it A practical framework for asking better questions before deploying AI Approaches to responsible AI due diligence and risk assessment Perspectives on responsible and regenerative AI design in climate and social impact settings Insights into the particular responsibilities involved when deploying AI in vulnerable contexts Connections with peers confronting similar questions inside their organisations