Get Ready for 2026… Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence

Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence were hot topics in 2025, with further legislation announcements expected in 2026 and beyond.  In this article, we summarise the latest developments and provide useful resources.

Cyber Security

Cyber Essentials Update

In April 2026, updates to the Cyber Essentials criteria will come into play. Most are minor and aim to provide clearer definitions, but one significant change to the marking process makes multi-factor authentication (MFA) mandatory for all systems that support it.

MFA is also called "Two-Step Verification", and it means that you need more than just a username and password to sign in to an account. You’ll also need a second verification method - also known as a second "factor" - to prove who you are. This can be a SMS message, an email, or using an authentication app (such as Microsoft Authenticator, which is free).

Whether or not your organisation is Cyber Essentials certified, introducing MFA to your organisation is a straightforward way to improve your cyber security.

You can read more about MFA on the the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website here: Multi-factor authentication for your corporate online... - NCSC.GOV.UK

Cyber Security Toolkit

The NCSC has also launched a very handy tool to support small and medium organisations to improve their cyber security.

You can tailor the toolkit for your organisation here: Cyber security advice for small to medium sized... - NCSC.GOV.UK

Artificial Intelligence

AI and Fundraising

In 2025, the Charity Digital Skills Report found that 76% of charities were using AI, increased from 61% the previous year. Whilst AI is increasingly being used across functions, its influence on fundraising continues to draw attention.

Earlier this month, the Fundraising Regulator published new guidance on the use of AI in charitable fundraising: Guidance for using artificial intelligence in fundraising | Fundraising Regulator

AI Policy Template

The guidance recommends that organisations develop and agree an AI Policy before using any AI tools to support fundraising. You can view our template AI Policy here: https://www.glosalliance.org.uk/s/Template-Artificial-Intelligence-Policy.docx

Upcoming AI Training

We’re holding a training session, run by Wagada Digital, in March 2026 looking at the “Age of Misinformation, Using AI, and Retaining Authenticity”. You can book here:

Age of Misinformation, Using AI, and Retaining Authenticity — Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance

To conclude our “Get Ready for 2026” series, we’ll share our downloadable 2026 calendar on Friday…