NextBillion - A WDI Publication

​Hosts: Ethical AI Certification

​This session introduces the Ethical AI (EAI) Certification—a new, sector-specific standard for responsible AI in the social sector including in development and humanitarian work.

​Backed by leading NGOs, UN agencies, donors, and ethics experts, the certification provides a clear, staged pathway for organizations to adopt AI responsibly and demonstrate trust, transparency, and accountability.

​AI is rapidly entering development and humanitarian programmes, but organizations lack a shared, practical framework for what “ethical AI” actually requires in practice. Existing standards are either too abstract, too technical, or not designed for humanitarian risk, power asymmetries, and safeguarding. The EAI Certification fills this gap by translating ethical principles into testable, real-world practice.

​The certification is currently in its stakeholder review phase, and this session is designed as an interactive workshop.

​Participants will work through real-world dilemmas, review draft standards, and help shape how the certification evolves—particularly its use-case “annexes” for different AI applications.

​Speakers:

​Lindsey Moore – Founder & CEO, DevelopMetrics; adjunct professor on AI and Policy at Georgetown University; researcher at UNU-MERIT focusing on AI governance and evidence use, former USAID foreign service economist.

​Grace Lyn Higdon – Co-Founder of Revolution Impact where she is a strategy and learning advisor to philanthropies and investors navigating the complex terrain between good intentions and meaningful impact. For over 15 years her work has also focused on responsible technology and digital rights, governance, and policy. In 2025, Grace co-authored research on the AI adoption journeys of 25 funders and published the social impact sector’s first AI vendor assessment tool. Grace currently advises a sponsor of the 2027 AI Impact Summit, is a member of Women in AI Governance, and serves on the Board of the Ethical AI Certification.

​Mara Puacz is a global tech-for-impact leader and ecosystem enabler working at the intersection of AI, ethics, and human reinvention — and one of the defining voices shaping how AI is designed, governed, and used for good. As Head of Brand & Impact at Tech To The Rescue, she builds bridges between tech companies and mission-driven organizations tackling systemic challenges — from climate to education and child protection. As Chief Storyteller at NONLINEAR, she hosts a podcast spotlighting stories of human reinvention in the age of AI. As a Board Member of the Ethical AI Certification, she helps set the standards for what responsible AI looks like in practice. Across all three roles, she brings the voices of the builders to the table, ensuring AI is shaped by those most affected — not as an afterthought.

​Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how the Ethical AI Certification works, how it can be used by NGOs, funders, and implementers, and how to engage in the certification or governance process. Participants will also help influence an emerging global standard for ethical AI in development—at a moment when trust, accountability, and power-aware technology design matter more than ever.