Nearly three quarters of charities do not feel prepared for the “opportunities and challenges” of artificial intelligence, according to this year’s Charity Digital Skills Report.
Published today, the report includes the results of a flash poll of 100 UK charities, asking them a range of questions about AI.
The survey revealed that 73 per cent of charities polled felt unprepared for AI.
Despite this, more than three-quarters (78 per cent) of the charities polled agreed that AI was “relevant to their charity and could transform it”.
But only almost one in five respondents (19 per cent) said they were prepared for AI.
Some 64 per cent of large charities polled said they were “currently using or plan to use AI in their day-to-day operations”, compared with 44 per cent of small charities.
“This indicates how AI could potentially create inequalities if larger charities are more likely to benefit from it,” says the report, which was co-authored by Zoe Amar, a digital expert in the charity sector, and Nissa Ramsay, the founder of Think Social Tech, a research and learning consultancy for the social sector.
In the findings from the wider survey, more than half of the charities say they are poor at keeping up to date with digital trends and technologies such as TikTok and ChatGPT.
Meanwhile, 55 per cent of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis had adversely affected their digital capacity, with 27 per cent spending less money on digital tools than previously.
Other findings include:
- 64 per cent of charities have excellent basic digital skills
- 52 per cent say digital is more of a priority, up from 46 per cent in 2022
- Almost half (46 per cent) have no digital expertise on their board
- 49 per cent say they urgently need money for devices, software and infrastructure.
Reaching and meeting the needs of more diverse users is becoming a much greater priority, up from 35 per cent in 2022 to 45 per cent.
Jo Morfee, a producer at the digital advice charity Catalyst, which supported the report, said: “There is a clear call out to funders to continue to support core digital costs and projects and there’s evidence to suggest that more of the funded work should be made open and reusable, to benefit a wider range of organisations.
“Another interesting data point is the sector’s adoption of emerging technologies.
“It seems that funding, skills and capacity are once again the main blockers to adoption of new technologies.”
Amar said: “The adoption curve of AI will change how donors and supporters interact with charities and what they expect from its products and services.
“Charities will miss out on opportunities to meet these needs if they do not have the right people and the right skills to manage the challenges and embrace the opportunities.
“Charities need leaders who can really think holistically and not view AI as a commoditised product that you drop into your organisation.”
Ramsay said: “We hope the report encourages those providing funding and support to reflect on how this might be more equitable and inclusive, by focusing on digital needs.”