AI has been high on the new agenda since our survey closed. So we decided to run a flash poll to find out how charities were responding to these developments. This was taken by 100 respondents. More than half of the charities (52%) who took our flash poll were large, whilst 42% were small.
Just over 1 in 4 charities are using AI operationally.
- More than 4 out of 10 charities (42%) are not using artificial intelligence operationally.
- However, just over 1 in 4 (27%) are using AI. A similar number (26%) are not using it yet, but are planning to.
- 64% of large charities are currently using or plan to use AI in their day-to-day operations, compared to 44% of small charities. This indicates how AI could potentially create inequalities if larger charities are more likely to benefit from it.
The majority of charities (78%) agree that AI is relevant to their charity and could transform it, yet 73% say they don’t feel prepared to respond to the opportunities and challenges it brings.
- Three quarters of charities (78%) either strongly agree or agree that AI is relevant to their organisation and could transform how they work. Large charities are more likely to agree with this, with 98% saying AI is relevant to them and could transform their work, compared to 58% of small charities.
- Despite this, almost three quarters (73%) disagree or strongly disagree that they feel prepared to respond to the opportunities and challenges that AI brings.
- Only 19% feel that they are prepared for AI.
- On a similar theme, just over a third (35%) are getting ready to use AI in their work, whilst more than half (56%) say they are not (they disagree or strongly disagree).
- Views on the consequences of AI for charities are mixed. Almost half (48%) either strongly agree or agree that they are worried about this. 29% either disagree or strongly disagree with this, whilst just over 1 in 5 (22%) are not sure.
These answers show that charities recognise AI is relevant to them and are concerned about what AI could mean for the future of their organisation, but are not yet on the front foot with how to seize the opportunities or mitigate the risks. It’s interesting to compare these results with the findings from our main survey in which more than half (56%) of charities said they are poor at keeping up to date with digital trends such as TikTok and ChatGPT.
57% of charities are following AI developments with interest but more than half are being held back by lack of time, money and skills.
- Reinforcing what we learned from the last question, more than half (57%) of charities are following AI developments and 47% are considering the implications that AI might have for their users.
- Other responses explain why charities may be struggling to engage. 52% want to look into AI more but are constrained by lack of time, resources and skills, whilst 42% are trying to get colleagues to engage.
- More than a third (35%) are already using AI for certain tasks.
- Encouragingly, some charities are taking action to improve their readiness for AI, with 30% improving data maturity, 26% exploring how to use AI strategically and 18% testing tools to develop knowledge and skills.
- So far, only four charities are starting to develop services that use AI.
- Only 10% say they are not looking into AI in any way.