AI and Ethical Storytelling: Reclaiming Narratives in Global Changemaking

In the social impact sector — whether nonprofit or for-profit — stories are one of the most powerful tools we have to drive awareness, resources, and change. But the way we share those stories and images matters just as much as the stories themselves.

Too often, narratives are told about people instead of with them. Photos and stories can be stripped of dignity, flattened into tropes of poverty or saviorism, or taken out of context. With the rise of AI, the risks are even greater: images and words can be scraped, manipulated, or misused without consent, reinforcing harmful narratives.

This session brings together three perspectives on how to reclaim ethical storytelling:
• from the African context, where stories often frame desperation instead of innovation,
• from a communications lens, looking at how to share responsibly,
• from the world of imagery, examining how photos and AI-generated visuals must be used with an ethical lens.

Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of why ethical storytelling matters, the risks of nonethical narratives, and practical tools to ensure their own communications build trust, dignity, and agency.