It challenges us to think beyond traditional applications of AI, considering its role in human relationships, organizational transformation, and societal well-being. It examines the dual challenge of adopting AI: a cultural shift towards recognizing our intrinsic relational nature, and an organizational evolution that rethinks processes, roles, and impact in the context of technological change. How can AI be harnessed to enhance the work of civil society organizations (CSOs) while keeping people and their connections at the center?
To begin, here’s a reflection from Stefano Simontacchi, President of Bonelli Erede and of the Fondazione Buzzi per l'Ospedale dei Bambini, which clearly outlines the mindset needed to address the impact of generative and relational artificial intelligence.
“Paradoxically, the centrality of machines will bring human beings back to the centre, called upon to imagine a future in which machines and progress serve people’s happiness, their relationships, and their freedom.”
Looking at this statement from the perspective of the Third Sector, it speaks directly to its workers. , It’s because people, their relationships and their freedom are precisely the outcomes civil society organisations’ (CSOs) work seeks to achieve. For this reason, generative and relational artificial intelligence can and must become generative in the way that matters to CSOs. This is possible, provided we are willing to embrace a dual challenge: a cultural one and an organisational one.
A Human Challenge, Before a Digital One
The real challenge of generative and relational AI lies in technology forcing us to redefine ourselves. Artificial intelligence calls into question what we have long considered exclusive human-only prerogatives, such as, reasoning, writing, producing images and videos, or programming.
Moreover, for the first time, we are dealing with a technology capable of reaching into personal intimacy and thoughts, affecting not only our outside, but also inside. In order to keep human beings at the centre of the development and use of artificial intelligence, awareness of what fundamentally characterizes humans needs to be rediscovered.
(Re)discovering Relationships
First and foremost, it must be (re)discovered that human beings are intrinsically relational, not merely rational. This is not just a rhetorical concept; it is a fundamental truth about our nature. Each of us needs healthy relationships throughout our lives, as for far too long, a dominant cultural narrative has reduced individuals to isolated, high-performing monads.
This reductionist model leads to alienation, anxiety, loneliness, and burnout, because we are not machines designed to generate results at any cost. We are human beings who yearn for meaningful connections that recognize and value our uniqueness.
The need for relationships is not merely an emotional desire but a biological imperative that shapes our well-being. By rediscovering the relational nature of humanity, we can build a society that fosters environments where individuals thrive as fully realized human beings, not isolated productivity machines.
This shift is crucial, especially in a world increasingly influenced by technology, where the essence of human interaction must not be lost, and it’s a lesson that CSOs should take into account.
The Relationship Between Rationality, Thought and Relationality
“We are not thinking machines that feel, but feeling machines that think.”
This quote, attributed to Portuguese psychologist and neuroscientist Antonio Damasio, reminds us that thought arises within the body and consciousness. Humans are relational beings, but at the same time, not purely rational beings.
Neuroscience confirms that emotions are not background noise to be silenced in order to think better, but rather the engine of thought. This distinction was introduced by psychologist Richard Kahneman between System 1 and System 2 .
System 1 operates quickly, automatically, and effortlessly: It is intuitive, associative, and emotional. It generates impressions, impulses, and immediate judgements, allowing us to react and decide in fractions of a second. System 2, by contrast, is slow, deliberate, and analytical; it requires attention, effort, and control, and comes into play when we need to solve complex problems. System 1 is efficient and dominant in everyday life, but prone to shortcuts and biases; System 2 is more accurate, but “lazy”.
Even if we like to think otherwise, we are not predominantly rational beings. This is vital to take into consideration, as we move on to how CSOs can use AI to their advantage without losing their motivation and messaging.
The Third Sector Is Called to Redefine Itself
In light of these considerations, artificial intelligence also forces the third sector to redefine itself. How can that be achieved?
1) Rediscovering the strength of an authentically human relationships within organizations, and those they serve. This should be done in light of the insight from the beginning of the article: humans are relational beings, not merely rational ones. While organisations cannot directly compete with the relational capacity and artificial empathy of a chatbot (it is never tired, never irritated, and always listens to you), they can reclaim the relational capacity, which can be provided only by humans.
2) Understanding the capabilities of the generative artificial intelligence. While this is certainly a useful and important function, but it is not the only one. As in public administration and in the private sector, a serious and thoughtful adoption of AI requires a reworking of organisational processes and adequate training for people. Once again, artificial intelligence forces us to redefine our organisations. The understandable temptation is to use generative AI only to work faster, for writing a project proposal, preparing a newsletter, polishing a report, especially due to shortages of time, resources, and skills.
However, if AI is introduced only as an operational crutch, we miss the opportunity to truly rethink how we work, collaborate, and generate impact. AI is not an accelerator of bureaucracy; it is a transformation in the shape of social work. If it is used only to speed up the production of texts, the most important opportunity is lost. It frees up time for relationships, rather than for producing more documents; generating trust, hope and proximity, instead of “content”, both inside and outside of organizations.
AI automates many operational tasks: reports, texts, or data collection. This is an opportunity that can lead to changes such as redesigning processes, clarifying roles, strengthening organizational culture, and redefining flows This can be done through documentation, internal communication, governance, and training.
Without new processes, AI amplifies existing cultural and organisational fragilities of CSOs.
An example from Milan
From direct experience I had within Fondazione Pensiero Solido and in the initiatives carried forward, I know well that all of this collides with three main factors: lack of leadership vision, time and finance. Through Tecnologia Solidale al Corvetto initative (a project carried out in a peripheral neighbourhood of Milan), five local organisations used digital tools to strengthen organisations and their ability to counter economic and educational poverty.
We decided to develop a project based on a dialogue that would address the needs of those who truly understand the area and the people living there, experiencing economic and cultural poverty. For this reason, we initiated a patient listening phase (December 2024 - March 2025) with local organizations and identified three areas of intervention; structural needs (technological equipment); communication needs (improving the use of social media); training needs (internal and external to the individual organizations).
These three needs are now part of the project, which aims to build a community model of digital-based social innovation and is implementing:
a bridge between digital tools and local organizations, to help the most economically and culturally vulnerable;
the dissemination of technological tools and skills to those who work daily in the community, alongside families, young people, and children;
training opportunities for neighborhood girls and boys, with a focus on digital skills that can be applied to the workforce.
Even though the leadership understands the reasons for change, it clashes with the daily necessity of delivering services that cannot be interrupted in order to stop and start over, limiting making truly effective use of generative AI.
All of this is understandable. Still, it does not change the fact that technological transformation must be accompanied by an evolution of organisations, work models and skills, to truly enhance the integration between humans and technology. This applies to the for-profit and non-profit sectors alike.
Factors Hindering Change and Future Perspectives
There is a prevailing belief within the Italian third sector that generative and relational AI will not lead to job losses, at least not in the same way as it is expected to in the for-profit sector.
However, we must question whether this assumption will hold true in the medium term. Even within the large third sector organizations, administrative and office roles could become obsolete, with many tasks potentially managed by artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, the rise of Physical AI (an integration of artificial intelligence with physical bodies, such as robots, smart materials, and systems that interact with the physical world) - could see machines replace humans in certain caregiving and companionship roles. These advancements could significantly alter the landscape of work, especially in the sectors reliant on human interaction.
Following, the lines between human and machine capabilities are increasingly blurred, compelling us to reconsider the future of work and human labor in an AI-driven world. We truly live in interesting times!
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The author, Antonio Palmieri is a former member of the Italian Parliament for 5 terms, cofounder and President of Fondazione Pensiero Solido ETS, which supports businesses, Third Sector organizations, and citizens in understanding major digital and social transformations. Palmieri can offer an original viewpoint on digital innovation, political/civic communication, and welfare, making a system-level perspective accessible.
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This piece of resources has been created as part of the AI for Social Change project within TechSoup's Digital Activism Program, with support from Google.org.
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"How AI forces the Third Sector to redefine itself", by Antonio Palmieri, 2026, for Hive Mind is licensed under CC BY 4.0.