Case Study
Internet Matters
Executive Summary
2 days from AI threat to strategic opportunity
Internet Matters faced a challenge: AI systems threatened to bypass their platform and scrape content without attribution. FOIL's Talent team built Owlie, an intelligent AI assistant that transforms how the charity serves families, turning a defensive position into strategic advantage —impressing the CEO to present directly to the board.
What we did
We designed a focused two-day hackathon where our FOIL Talent team — career changers retraining in technology — tackled Internet Matters' AI challenge head-on. Working directly with Co-CEO Rachel Huggins and Head of Content Ghislaine Bombusa, the team experienced the full consulting lifecycle under pressure.
They built Owlie: an AI assistant that delivers instant, expert guidance on digital parenting. Using Azure AI Search and Azure OpenAI, Owlie connects directly to Internet Matters' extensive knowledge base, understanding parent queries and surfacing relevant guidance through conversational interactions. The solution included both parent-facing and internal developer interfaces, designed with embedded support in mind for platforms like Roblox and YouTube.
The impact we made
Transforming the charities relationship with AI
From viewing it as a threat to embracing it as a way to amplify their expertise and reach families who might never find their guidance through traditional navigation.
The solution addresses maintains authoritative positioning in a changing landscape, providing insights into parent concerns, reducing barriers to accessing guidance, and creating opportunities for deeper family engagement.
The impact we made
2 day hackathon to strategic business case
— 48-hour delivery: From brief to board-ready proposal in just two days, demonstrating amazing team work
— Strategic positioning shift: Transformed from defensive stance to proactive AI strategy, positioning Internet Matters ahead of charity sector competitors
— Production progression: Hackathon success converted immediately to supporters business case