I recently joined an online session hosted by NAVCA on the Strategic Use of AI for Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, delivered by Dandelion Applied AI. The session offered valuable insights into how AI can transform our sector, even as we remain mindful of its challenges and risks. Here’s a quick summary of the key takeaways to support your strategic thinking around AI adoption:
How VCSE Organisations Can Use AI
AI can optimise limited resources and amplify impact across various areas:
- Streamline Admin Tasks: I think I can safely speak for the majority of the sector in saying we are time poor. AI can save 1.3/4 hours per day, per staff member, if used effectively. It can streamline admin tasks such as transcribing for meetings (best for online meetings), summarise lengthy documents and produce first draft pieces for those times when we experience writers block.
- Enhance Service Delivery: Use AI chatbots to provide 24/7 support and instant responses to FAQs. If using chatbots on your site you do need to be mindful that you are accountable for what it shares!
- Boost Fundraising and Donor Engagement: Leverage AI to analyse donor data and optimise outreach campaigns.
- Data Insights: Use AI to analyse large datasets, guiding community needs assessments and resource allocation.
- Drafting Funding Applications: More and more organisations are utilising AI to produce their funding bids, the AI tools can scan all supporting documentations and produce a bid that meets the funders requests. Its important to be mindful though that this function is only as good as the information you put in. Funders are well aware that bids are being produced using AI, the National Lottery Community Fund has even added information to their site outlining its acceptable use, take a look. The rise of AI in bid writing puts greater weight on the need for relationship building between the VCSE and funders, how can you make your bid stand out in a sea of AI produced bids?- By getting to know the funder and them you!
- Training and Knowledge Sharing: AI-powered e-learning platforms can provide tailored learning and mentorship opportunities.
Risks and Limitations of AI
Despite its potential, AI adoption comes with challenges:
- Ethical Concerns: AI algorithms may inherit biases, leading to unintended discrimination. A basic example of this is asking AI to create an image of a nurse, the results would all be of a white female.
- Data Privacy: Sensitive data must be handled securely to protect privacy and trust. TOP TIP: If using Chat GPT- disable the training model in your settings to prevent your content being reused.
- Job Displacement: Fear of AI replacing human roles can cause resistance. AI should support, not replace, staff.
- Cost: Initial investment in AI can strain budgets including training staff in its use and development of AI policy. The trainer referred to this as thinking about how we invest in new starters.
- Reliability: AI systems may produce errors, so careful oversight is essential. A key learning point for me was that AI can hallucinate! Basically, this means it may not ‘know’ the answer to something or have the knowledge around certain facts and rather than state that it will present an answer disguised as factual content. This alone is a significant risk to organisations reputation.
Mitigating Risks and Challenges
To successfully adopt AI while minimising risks, consider these steps:
- Develop an AI Adoption Plan: Align objectives with your mission, engaging stakeholders early.
- Train Your Team: Equip staff and volunteers with knowledge on ethical AI use and data security.
- Establish Ethical Guidelines: Ensure transparency and fairness, regularly audit AI systems, implement AI policy outlining its usage within your organisation.
- Start Small: Pilot AI in specific areas and scale up based on feedback.
- Partner with Experts: Collaborate with AI specialists to adopt best practices.
In Conclusion: Embracing AI for a Stronger Future
“Artificial intelligence is not a substitute for human intelligence; it is a tool to amplify human creativity and ingenuity.” – Fei-Fei Li, Co-Director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.
This quote really encapsulates what I took away from the session. It's vital that we acknowledge the limitations and risks of AI and manage them thoughtfully. Ultimately, AI should be viewed and used as a tool to support and enhance the workforce, not replace it. Recognising this distinction is key to ensuring AI serves to empower rather than disrupt.
AI offers significant potential for VCSE organisations, enabling us to work smarter and achieve greater impact. By adopting a thoughtful, ethical approach, we can harness AI to enhance our work and create positive change in our communities.
Take a look at Dandelion Applied AI for lots of useful information and guidance on this topic. Charity Digital have also shared some information on how to create an AI Policy which you may find helpful- Charity Digital - Topics - How to create an AI policy
Kelly Hodgson
MVDA
We Care You Care Project Lead