The evolution of humankind has been marked by monumental milestones: the discovery and use of fire 2 million years ago; the invention of the wheel – estimated at around 4,000 BC; steam power; the Industrial Revolution; electricity; the telegram; the telephone; X-rays and massive strides in medical science; radar; computing; email; the worldwide web.
The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is in this league and will change the world forever. The greatest challenge for most people is understanding AI, its power and, as yet, almost unimaginable potential.
It was only 13 years ago that my son advised me to buy Bitcoin. They cost between $50 and $140 each that year. I could not wrap my head around the concept (and mistrusted it and muttered about it being a new form of Ponzi scheme).Today they are worth $65,000 each. I console myself by noting that Warren Buffett too declined to invest in cryptocurrency.
AI must not be ignored in the non-profit sector and in fundraising, in particular. Algorithms offer immense and immediate assistance in analysing existing and potential individual donors’ online habits and early adopters have proven the benefits in the ways that matter – successfully asking the right people for the right amounts and for the right projects. They also identify, approach and engage potential ambassadors, volunteers and social media influencers to promote their organisations’ missions and projects. This is resulting in more funding and awareness. Embracing AI to aid prospect research is likely to become the single most beneficial factor in the survival (and thriving) of NPOs in future.
Non-profits with large numbers of individual donors are harnessing the power of AI to identify who is most likely to leave legacies.
Large language models (LLMs), of which ChatGPT and Claude are best known, with Microsoft Edge’s Copilot rapidly gaining traction, are here to stay. LLMs, particularly ChatGPT, have already proven invaluable in speeding up all aspects of research and writing for fundraising. The trick, though, is to remain in control and to edit LLMs’ copy: generally, too many adverbs and adjectives, often too wordy and the instant giveaway – the ‘In Conclusion’ final paragraph. Millions of people have readily embraced using the help of an AI tool in their writing, but far fewer have mastered the detailing of prompts appropriately. Too many too, don’t explore more than using an LLM as a search engine (early adopters of AI rarely turn to Google these days), to aid in planning or to write copy. It’s also great at editing one’s writing. Gone are the days when fundraisers whose mother tongues are not English (and a surprising number who do have English as a first or only language) feel dauted about their writing. Just do it and have an LLM edit it. Always ask for UK English (not USA). It is vital to fact-check everything written by an LLM. Also, when asked to edit a piece of writing, AI programmes sometimes change the meaning of sentences or add some information for flow and readability.
In my daily consulting to and mentoring of non-profit, school and tertiary staff and volunteers, primarily around fundraising, I still hear of CEOs who don’t allow the use of AI …
