AI is rapidly transforming the world we live in, in ways once beyond comprehension. It has enabled us to revolutionise the way we live, work and communicate, from analysing vast datasets to generating content. In recent years, AI has experienced rapid growth and has emerged as a major theme in national discussion and debate, including within the VCSE sector. 

What is AI?

AI is commonly defined as a machine’s ability to perform some cognitive functions we usually associate with human minds. Not an entirely new concept, the phrase ‘artificial intelligence’ was first used in the 1950s, when a machine learning system (a type of AI) was used to play games against a human opponent. Today, AI is embedded everywhere in the world around us, and you’re probably using it without even knowing. Daily activities such as communicating with voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa, using image and facial recognition and getting a customised user experience through recommendation systems used on e-commerce platforms, all use AI. 

How is AI being used in the VCSE sector?

AI is predicted to bring significant change to all sectors, and the VCSE sector is no exception. In 2023, 44% of small charities and 64% of large charities were using or planning to use AI, and this number is expected to grow. AI has the potential to bring many benefits, particularly in helping charities reduce spending. AI tools are already being used by 47% of charity organisations in the UK to save on labour costs. This is primarily to automate repetitive tasks. Examples of this include using algorithms to process large datasets, and implementing an AI powered customer service system to respond to frequently asked questions. This means organisations can replace human labour and lighten workloads. Additionally, AI tools are being used to boost productivity and improve efficiency, by helping to complete tasks that can be time consuming for staff. This is particularly beneficial for administrative tasks such as summarising meetings or taking minutes. 

AI is also being used by the VCSE sector as a search engine when carrying out research. It can collate and analyse vast amounts of information and provide summaries, by identifying patterns and pulling out key information. This is particularly beneficial when looking at behavioural patterns of the community. 

Generative AI (an AI model that generates content in response to a prompt) is one of the fastest growing areas, with 63% of charity organisations in the UK applying AI tools in advertising, marketing, PR, and communications. Generative AI can assist organisations with writing papers, producing tailored bid applications, writing and editing press releases, compiling emails and generating alt-text.

Despite the high adoption rate of AI in the VCSE sector, some individuals and organisations are still reluctant to use AI. In 2023, 48% of charities said they were worried about the consequences of AI. One of the main reasons for this is staff having a lack of knowledge on how to implement and use it effectively, or equally, not having the capacity to provide staff with the necessary skills on how to use it. Some organisations also lack digital infrastructure, meaning they do not have the funds or access to technical resources to use and implement AI effectively or securely. 

The risks of using AI

While there are many opportunities to use AI, organisations in the VCSE sector need to proceed with caution, as there are risks that need to be considered and managed. Firstly, there is a loss of humanness as AI lacks the ability to emulate human-like creativity and emotional expression. Meaning it is only sophisticated enough to simulate emotional responses, it cannot feel them. 

AI is still in its infancy in terms of safety, and it won't always get things right. Generative AI models can produce inaccurate, plagiarised or copyright infringing results without any awareness that the results may be problematic. Therefore, it is important that organisations stay compliant with wider legal obligations, by censor checking content to confirm its accuracy and not relying solely on AI-generated advice. Data security, particularly General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is another major risk, as some AI tools handle data less securely than others. This can lead to violation of legal frameworks (around data privacy) and reputational damage. Charities who work with high risk groups such as children or who hold sensitive information, will need to be particularly mindful. 

The rapid rise of generative AI tools has exacerbated worries around bias, with 57% of charities concerned about representation and biases. AI bias refers to the occurrence of biased results due to human biases that skew the original training data or AI algorithm, leading to distorted outputs and potentially harmful outcomes. For example, emotional analysis technology assigns more negative emotions to people of certain ethnicities than to others. This means that businesses are likely to benefit from systems that produce distorted results. This could form mistrust among disadvantaged groups in the community and perpetuate existing biases in society.  

Finally, while AI can give staff the opportunity to focus on valuable work, by removing the need to complete mundane tasks, this has sparked AI-driven job loss, widening socioeconomic inequality. Charity workers who perform more manual tasks, such as bookkeepers or database managers, are losing their roles to automated systems. 

Make More Digital Training

Entering the digital world can be confusing, which is why at Make More we offer a wide range of digital support services, tailored to support all abilities. This includes AI digital skills training for individuals and organisations. We also offer specialist training for organisations within the VCSE sector. Get in touch today, to hear more about how we can support you.

Email: info@make-more.org

You can find out more about the services we offer on the Make More website.

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