Gen Z, AI And The Future Of Stakeholder Trust In The Impact Sector

InnovationGen Z, AI And The Future Of Stakeholder Trust In The Impact SectorByTal Frankfurt,Forbes Councils Member.for Forbes Technology CouncilCOUNCIL POSTExpertise from Forbes Councils members, operated under license. Opinions expressed are those of the author. | Membership (fee-based)May 27, 2026, 10:00am EDTTal Frankfurt is the Founder and CEO of Cloud for Good, a Salesforce partner that creates transformational value with technology. getty​​A few weeks ago, I was watching a colleague from Generation Z try to find information on a nonprofit's website. He clicked through two pages, scanned for a few seconds, paused and then closed the tab.The entire interaction lasted maybe 10 seconds. Nothing was technically wrong with the site. The information was there. But the path to understanding required a little too much searching, a few too many clicks and just enough friction to lose attention.That moment stuck with me because it reflects a broader shift happening across the nonprofit and education sectors. The next generation of donors, students and stakeholders is not necessarily less committed to causes. If anything, Gen Z is deeply values-driven.But they engage with organizations through a very different set of expectations.Research backs this up. The Blackbaud Institute found that 84% of Gen Z supports nonprofits. The barrier is not commitment. It is friction. McKinsey notes this generation does not lack focus. They are simply more selective with their attention. And if an experience feels slow or confusing, they simply move on.At the same time, we are entering a moment where AI, both generative and predictive, is reshaping how organizations operate and communicate. These shifts are beginning to collide, and they will change how organizations build trust.​Trust Is Built Through Everyday InteractionsTrust has always been the foundation of the impact sector.Donors trust that their contributions create meaningful outcomes. Students trust institutions to guide the...