It’s truly amazing to think how far technology has come. We now live in an era where an AI tool exists that will write a pretty dang good podcast introduction, essay, or fundraising plan. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, it is … and it isn’t.
In today’s episode, we’re talking about ChatGPT and how you can use AI tools in nonprofit fundraising specifically, but also in university messaging, HR departments, classroom settings, and more. We’re sharing both how it can be helpful (e.g. creating an outline for a fundraising plan that you can then refine and fill in the blanks specific to your organization) as well as how it can be harmful (e.g. when Vanderbilt sent a an email following a mass shooting written 100% by ChatGPT).
Tools like this can be very helpful, if used correctly. There is potential for bias, for incorrect information, or for harmful information. The most important thing is not to pass what ChatGPT generated for you as your own content, but rather to build on the bones it gives you to create something unique and personal (and accurate) to your organization.
What’s in this episode:
- [03:19] What ChatGPT is, how Brittny is using it in the nonprofit class she’s teaching, and how it’s sparking new questions about plagiarism at the university level
- [06:37] Using ChatGPT to ask questions or write an outline (that you then edit and refine), and how ChatGPT can help nonprofits specifically
- [10:02] How ChatGPT generates new responses as you further refine what you want, and how this could potentially benefit (or harm, depending on your outlook) hiring and accomplishing tasks within jobs
- [11:56] How AI tools can be harmful, how ChatGPT is attempting to filter out the bad stuff (in the shittiest way), and why you can’t rely on an AI tool to have empathy or complete accuracy (which means you have to edit and refine it—we’re looking at you, Vanderbilt)
- [17:28] Ethical considerations for nonprofits using AI, what happened when Nia asked ChatGPT to write a donor-centric and a community-centric fundraising appeal, and ChatGPT’s hilarious appeal for an Easter bunny rescue
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Resources Mentioned
- A clip of John Oliver discussing AI
- Forbes Article- The Dark Side of ChatGPT
A big thanks to our sponsors for this episode on ChatGPT: Brittny Wilson Consulting and Mission Launch, and to Jake Walker Music for our theme song!