“Leaders marvel at the opportunity to scour huge amounts of data for connections that would otherwise go unnoticed. But the specter of unseen algorithms deciding who gets services and the fear of bias-tainted data make the technological future seem more menacing than transformational.” -Nicole Wallace
What is this article?
Using examples from a number of nonprofits, this article explores the promise and the peril of artificial intelligence (A.I.). From the automation of repetitive tasks to real-time analysis, A.I. offers great promise. However, many worry about “data science done badly. Analysts don’t always understand the data they work with, know what they can build with it, or grasp its limits.” And while scalability is a feature of A.I., empathy is not.
What are key findings from the article?
- The number of nonprofits using A.I. is “miniscule.” However, many are learning that A.I. identifies patterns at scale, so interest is on the rise.
- Just as the benefit of identifying patterns at scale can be quite large, so can the harm. Citing criminal justice data as an example, the article cautions that combining flawed or biased data with advanced analytics could not only replicate but magnify discrimination.
- Others caution that by automating decision-making, the nonprofit will “lose that empathetic touch.” The article mentions Florida’s Feeding Children Everywhere as an example of a nonprofit that decided the benefits outweigh the costs. The nonprofit lets people apply for temporary food assistance through a mobile app, with half automatically qualifying for assistance. Of those who don’t qualify, an employee reviews the application. Rather than hiring more employees to keep up with the growing number of applications, the organization realized that A.I. could help, thereby reducing the number of applications needing human review. As a result, Feeding Children Everywhere will be able to provide 200,000 more meals in 2019.
- The article concludes by stating that while machines will never be able to empathize, “humans can’t scale.” If used properly, A.I. offers great potential.
What can I do as a result?
Focus on A.I. as an assistant, not a human replacement and begin to imagine how A.I. could help you in your fundraising role.
- What repetitive tasks could be automated? How about reviewing the weekly gift list, figuring out which individuals to write to, and then drafting the thank you. What if an algorithm could find those donors and then draft a personalized, editable email for you?
- What decisions could A.I. help with? What about the timing or target amount of an ask? Wouldn’t it be great to have more data science to complement the art behind the ask? The computer will never be the one to make the ask, that’s where humanity will come into play. But the computer can do a better job of informing the decision making process.
- What other areas could A.I. help? Trip planning, moves management? Who will make the next major gift? The possibilities seem boundless.
- Check out Gravyty or Salesforce’s Einstein Prediction Builder for A.I. tools geared toward fundraising. Cognitive computing has already arrived at your door. Maybe it’s time to take a peek and stay informed!
Additional Resources
- What A.I. Means for Doing Good | Nicole Wallace via The Chronicle of Philanthropy | 2018
- How Nonprofits Can Use Artificial Intelligence to Improve Fundraising | Vala Afshar via Huffingtonpost.com | 2017
- What Does Artificial Intelligence Mean for Nonprofit Organizations? | Tal Frankfurt via Forbes | 2018
- Gravyty
- AI for Good: Applications for Nonprofit Fundraising, Marketing, and Program Management | Elizabeth Martin, Phil Nadeau, and Katharine Bierce via Salesforce.org | 2018