AI and Technology Trends Shaping Nonprofits and Beyond in 2026

Artificial intelligence continues to evolve rapidly, influencing not only tech industries but also reshaping how nonprofits operate and deliver impact. Recent funding rounds and innovations reveal where investors and innovators are focusing their energy in 2026.

One standout trend is the emphasis on human-centric AI. Humans&, founded by AI veterans from Anthropic, xAI, and Google, raised an impressive $480 million in a seed round at a $4.48 billion valuation. Their goal is not to replace humans but to empower them, reflecting growing investor interest in ethical AI that enhances human potential rather than replacing it.

Meanwhile, major platforms are improving AI-driven personalization. LinkedIn unveiled a new multi-teacher distillation model to make job recommendations more accurate and personalized. Their approach combines different AI models such as product policy and click prediction to accelerate development and improve job search experiences for users.

The AI infrastructure space is also heating up. Emerging from UC Berkeley’s Ion Stoica lab, RadixArk spun out with a $400 million valuation. Utilizing an open-source foundation called Project SGLang, RadixArk aims to tap into the skyrocketing AI inference market, supported by key investors like Accel, pointing to significant growth in AI backend technologies.

Turning to the nonprofit sector, AI continues to streamline operations and funding discovery. Euna Solutions recently acquired GrantExec, an AI-driven grant discovery tool, to help nonprofits find and apply for funding more efficiently. This move highlights AI’s growing role in powering smarter, faster grant searches and boosting nonprofit sustainability.

Education technology also demonstrates resilience and scale. Preply, a Ukrainian-founded language learning platform that operates in both commercial and social impact spaces, raised $150 million in a Series D round, achieving a $1.2 billion valuation. Preply’s growth underscores how education-focused ventures can thrive globally, even in challenging environments.

In summary, 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year where AI breakthroughs and ethical considerations intersect with practical applications in both tech ecosystems and nonprofit sectors. From human-empowering AI startups and smarter job matching to infrastructure scaling and nonprofit funding tools, these trends point to a deeper integration of AI as an enabler across industries.

As these developments unfold, professionals across sectors should consider how embracing human-centric AI and innovative tools can enhance their strategic goals and impact.

References:

• Humans& $480M Seed Round (TechCrunch)

• LinkedIn’s Multi-Teacher AI Model (VentureBeat)

• RadixArk Spinoff and $400M Valuation (TechCrunch)

• Euna Solutions Acquires GrantExec (Nonprofit Pro)

• Preply’s $1.2B Valuation and Growth (TechCrunch)