The history of generative AI dates back all the way to the 1950s. But a series of breakthroughs—including several over just the last decade—have catapulted AI to the forefront of our public consciousness. Much of the public discourse currently revolves around natural language models, and you’ve probably read commentary positing that ChatGPT offers a solution to virtually every problem. But capabilities and potential of AI are complex; business leaders must think carefully about the best role for these new technologies in their future strategy. Drawing from experience during and prior to his role as a product manager at Blackbaud, Ian Craddock will share an overview of some of the most significant milestones in AI development over his career. Ian will also discuss Blackbaud’s approach to utilizing AI and lay out an outcomes-based framework for leaders in the social impact space to identify the best opportunities to apply AI at their own organizations.