AI: Just because you can doesn't (necessarily) mean you should

AI presents exciting opportunities for charities, from recruitment to resource planning, predicting future trends to targeting donors.

And, as the sum of online information grows, AI will keep learning and accelerating.

But it's not fully mature yet. Think of it as a very clever, enthusiastic teenage assistant: it does some things brilliantly, but it can still make some pretty bad mistakes.

And AI comes with some big risks too - risks that organisations don't always stop to consider in their rush to stay ahead of the curve.

What are the risks of using AI in your charity?

Public perception

A recent survey showed that many people feel uneasy about the thought of charities using AI, especially when it comes to the risk of data breaches, unethical decisions and charities losing the personal touch.

AI bias

AI learns from historical data, which often comes with prejudices and outdated cultural stereotypes baked in. This can cause it to make unfair decisions. And unfortunately, according to ICO guidance, the buck stops with you: “Demonstrating that an AI system is not unlawfully discriminatory under the EA2010 is … additional to your obligations relating to discrimination under data protection law.”

Lack of transparency

The reasoning behind AI’s decisions isn’t always clear. If an AI-driven decision (prioritising resources in one area over another, say, or shortlisting of job applicants) were challenged, it could be hard to justify to the public and your funders.

Data privacy

Any AI system you use to process data must fully comply with all legal security requirements and industry standards. Data must be encrypted, with strict access controls. Even then, you should avoid inputting any personally identifiable information, including financial data. While you can buy protective software, if your data is compromised your charity will still be legally liable, and you may lose public credibility and trust.

Losing the personal touch

If your communications sound as though they’ve come from a chat-bot, this can feel alienating, especially for someone vulnerable or in crisis when the warmth of human communication might be key.

AI gets things wrong – more often than you might think

When AI produces wrong or misleading information, it’s called a ‘hallucination’ – and they’re getting more common, not less. A recent article in Scientific American points out that if an AI system doesn’t have the right data to answer a question it will ‘make up stuff to fill in the blanks’.

Plagiarism

If you’re using AI to create content – such as articles or posts for a fundraising campaign –the suggested wording may exist already on the web, in some form. Plagiarism checkers are getting better at identifying reused content even when the wording has been rearranged. You’ll need to keep an eye on this to avoid infringement of copyright.

Loss of unique local knowledge

You are the expert on your local area. With all their analytical powers, AI algorithms can’t take the place of real human understanding of a local community and its people.

If you don't want to take the risk just yet, what's the alternative?

Automation brings many of the benefits of AI – but with less cost and less risk. Automation means your CRM software will speed up repetitive, time-consuming admin tasks, communications and data management workflows, freeing up staff time to concentrate on core work.

A good automated CRM will:

• do data entry and importing

• set up workflow processes with prompts and reminders

• assign tasks to co-workers

• reduce response times

• set access controls for data protection

• send personalised appointment reminders or follow-up emails

• track progress and log outcomes

• run reports for funders and donors.

You stay in control

With a trustworthy automated CRM, you keep control of your data and you set the rules – such as access controls for different groups of users, or metrics for monitoring outcomes and running reports.

Nothing else will be going on behind the scenes that you haven’t already specified, and you won’t need to second-guess things or worry about AI mistakes or bias.

Plus, if you work with a trustworthy provider (like Charitylog!), you’ll have the reassurance of knowing that all your data is held securely in the UK.

What's the right choice for your charity?

Choose an AI-powered CRM if:

Your charity needs the advanced analysis and predictive functionality of AI, and you have the time to create a robust data framework, provide ongoing staff training and mitigate the risks.

Choose an automated CRM if:

You'd prefer not to deal with all the risks and complexity that come with AI just yet. A smart, automated, charity-specific CRM, like Charitylog, will still speed up day-to-day work, crunch the numbers, monitor outcomes and run reports – all while keeping the crucial human touch. And you still stay firmly in the driving seat.

It just might be the best of both worlds.