AI Use in Social Impact Measurement & Practice: 2026 Pulse Survey Results

"AI Use in Social Impact Measurement & Practice: 2026 Pulse Survey Results" is a report from Social Impax and SIMNA (the Social Impact Measurement Network of Australia), presenting findings from an online survey of 75 practitioners conducted in May 2026. The survey set out to check in on how AI is being used in social impact work and what support practitioners need going forward.

The report finds that AI use is now widespread, with over 90 percent of respondents using it to some extent, most often general tools like ChatGPT, Copilot or Claude. It is most commonly applied to tasks such as research, report writing, survey design and analysing qualitative data. Time savings stands out as the main benefit reported, though many practitioners also described gains in clarity, communication and research reach. At the same time, most respondents said they feel only somewhat confident using AI, and the report details a range of risks they are watching for, including data privacy, accuracy and bias, alongside responsible use measures such as human validation and disclosure of AI use.

Readers will gain a clear, data-backed snapshot of where the social impact sector currently stands with AI, including specific examples practitioners shared of successful use, common barriers, and the kinds of training and support most wanted, such as practical examples, short how-to guides and peer learning. The report closes by flagging priorities for responsible AI use in the sector and floats the idea of repeating the survey in 2027 to track how things shift.

This report speaks to social impact measurement practitioners, not-for-profit and social enterprise staff, and sector bodies thinking about how to support responsible AI adoption across the field.