Artificial Intelligence is here and now. We may not realize it, but we interact with some form of AI most, if not, each time we go online–from voice assistants like Alexa to as simple as being given suggested movies, products or options every time we use programs and applications. AI makes things easier for us by learning about our preferences and patterns and it then makes suggestions or actions according to these.
For the sake of having a working definition of what artificial intelligence is, according to The Street, “AI is the use of computer science programming to imitate human thought and action by analysing data and surroundings, solving or anticipating problems and learning or self-teaching to adapt to a variety of tasks.” From what we have been seeing and experiencing at present, AI can be used in numerous applications for everyday life that will help to make tasks, or life in general, simpler.
Since AI is already a part of our everyday lives, it would also be great, too, if Artificial Intelligence could be harnessed more by charities to help further their advocacies. After all this is one technology that can and should definitely be used for good.
Some of the things we are using in our everyday lives such as voice assistants like Alexa and Siri are already being used by some charities to help with their programs. Charities use this technology not only to help people get better informed about health conditions such as breast cancer, but also to help fundraise and spread awareness. For something that is widely available, it would be a great advantage for charities to make use of this technology. Hopefully in the future, more and more charities will follow suit and utilise this tool.
AI Chatbots are also a great tool to harness for charities, as we are seeing in some already these days. These can help in not only giving information but also answering questions about the charity’s goals and programs. Utilising chatbots lessens the need for human resources to handle information dissemination and answering some queries, while also helping lessen the use of resources and costs of the charities as well. Chatbots are already being tested by a few charities now, and hopefully, more and more charities will see the benefit of using such technology in raising awareness and educating, as well.
Other areas that charities can harness artificial intelligence is for their fundraising efforts. With AI, charities can spread word easily that they are raising funds for a certain program or cause. It is also making it simpler for people to give and donate. Instead of the tedious process of old, people can easily give and share through channels as readily accessible as Facebook and the like. This is great for charities since the simple process will potentially encourage more people to give. To date, more and more channels are opening up to help making donating simpler and easier because of artificial intelligence.
Another one of the more important benefits of artificial intelligence that charities should really make use of is the capability of AI to gather and analyze data. This is especially helpful since knowing and understanding their target audience will help a lot in deciding the best steps to take in terms of programs or marketing. The vast amounts of data that AI can harness and process for a charity to gain more insight into how they are making an impact is invaluable. This definitely is one of the most important advantages for charities to use AI.
Artificial intelligence is here, and it is here to stay. With all the possibilities and potentials AI has to offer, it would be great if charities utilised them more to help them help more people. Hopefully, more and more tap into this tech for good because it can really help further their charity’s goals and advocacies.
-This article was written by Abby Villarica from Green Box