Charities and AI: Cautious Optimism
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming industries around the world—and the charitable sector is no exception. Over the past two years, the Charity Insights Canada Project (CICP) has tracked how Canadian charities perceive and adopt AI (Surveys 1.10.42 and 2.10.39). In parallel, a 2024 global study by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) surveyed over 6,000 people across ten countries, offering an international perspective on public sentiment.
Together, these studies suggest a cautiously optimistic view: charities and the public see real opportunities in AI, but concerns about ethics, equity, and human connection continue to shape adoption.
AI’s Growing Role in the Charitable Sector
Across 2023 and 2024, Canadian charities increasingly view AI as a tool to enhance program effectiveness, service delivery, and data analysis. Notably, use of AI for content creation saw the most dramatic shift—rising from 68% in 2023 to 75% in 2024. At the same time, skepticism is growing about AI’s impact on human decision-making.
“I love AI. It has been so useful in writing policy—rewording documents for clarity and professionalism, suggesting resources for problems we didn’t even know were there.”
— Survey respondent, October 2023
This perspective echoes the CAF study’s findings, where 37% of global respondents felt AI’s benefits outweigh its risks, especially in areas like disaster response, operational efficiency, and outreach. Interestingly, optimism about AI was significantly stronger in low- and middle-income countries than in wealthier nations, where greater scrutiny remains the norm.
Challenges and Ethical Concerns: AI’s Unfinished Conversation
While AI adoption is increasingly seen as beneficial, concerns about its practical challenges regarding cost, complexity, and workforce persist. One of the most notable shifts in perception is a decrease in concerns about AI’s complexity, with fewer charities in 2024 agreeing that AI is too difficult to use (70% in 2023 vs. 64% in 2024). This suggests that charities are becoming more familiar with AI tools. In contrast, worries about AI-driven job displacement have remained steady.
Ethical and interpersonal concerns surrounding AI remain a critical issue, and in some areas, they have grown. The most notable change is the increase in concerns over data privacy and security, with combined agreement rising from 61% in 2023 to 66% in 2024. In contrast, fears that AI could reduce personal connections between charities and communities have slightly declined, from 69% to 65%. This suggests that charities may be gaining confidence in managing AI, without sacrificing community engagement.
- “While AI can be useful for grant applications, social media, and email campaigns, I fear the risks to personal data. Working with marginalized populations, I do not feel comfortable using AI for anything related to client care.”
(Survey 2.10.39, October 2024)
Beyond practical and ethical concerns, some charities (Survey 2.10.39, October 2024) express worries about the digital divide, copyright infringement, and the risk that vulnerable communities may be left behind in an AI-driven world:
- “We are, frankly, far more concerned about the negative effects of AI on the sector we represent (music, sound artists) than we are about the impacts on the nonprofit sector as a whole.”
Others highlight broader risks tied to AI’s environmental and ethical footprint:
- “With its heavy ecological footprint, AI can be environmentally costly, and its daily use may not align with organizations’ sustainability efforts.”
Public perception in the CAF study reflects similar worries, particularly regarding job losses and data security risks. One of the most striking findings is that 83% of people – especially donors – want transparency about how charities use AI. Notably, while those who donate more are 30% more likely to support AI use in charities, they are also particularly attentive to ethical AI use.
Three Suggested Actions for the Charitable Sector
Drawing from CICP and CAF findings, the following three recommendations can help guide responsible and inclusive AI adoption across the charitable landscape:
1. Prioritize Transparency and Donor Engagement
Donors and the public want to understand how AI is being used—whether for fundraising, service delivery, or internal decision-making. Proactive communication builds trust and strengthens relationships with both donors and beneficiaries.
2. Ensure AI Enhances—Not Replaces—Human Connection
Concerns about AI diminishing personal relationships are real. Charities should frame AI as a tool that enhances—not replaces—human interaction. For instance, automating administrative tasks can free up staff to focus more on direct community engagement.
3. Improve Access and Support for AI Implementation
Small and mid-sized charities face real barriers to AI adoption, from financial constraints to limited technical expertise. Many survey respondents called for more education, hands-on training, and partnerships to close this gap:
“Learning opportunities; educational opportunities on how they could work for our organization; all of which comes with a financial cost we don’t have the money for unfortunately.”
“Nous avons besoin des formations avec des experts capables de vulgariser le sujet. Nos sources d’information sur le sujet sont limitées et notre compréhension l’est aussi.”
To address these disparities, funders and sector leaders should invest in accessible training, peer learning, and low-cost tools—ensuring that AI benefits are shared across the entire charitable ecosystem.
Conclusion
AI presents real opportunities for the charitable sector—from streamlining operations to expanding impact. But its integration must be thoughtful, equitable, and transparent. The cautious optimism shown by charities and the public signals a growing interest in the possibilities AI offers—alongside a clear call for ethical implementation that keeps human connection at the heart of nonprofit work.
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