Fundraising.AI

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Fundraising.AI

Episode 17

THE PODCAST

Episode 17 - Unlocking the Power of AI in Nonprofit Workflows

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OVERVIEW

From discussing the practical applications of AI tools such as Zapier and ChatGPT in streamlining tasks to exploring the potential of generative AI in prospect research and development, today’s episode provides invaluable insights into how nonprofits can leverage AI to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness! 

The conversation covers various topics, including integrating Zapier with Google Tasks for task management, using Siri Shortcuts to automate everyday tasks, and the power of generative AI in writing emails, drafting memos and even creating auction descriptions for fundraising events. Nathan and Scott also address common concerns surrounding AI, such as the fear of job displacement and the phenomenon of AI “hallucination,” offering practical tips for mitigating these challenges. Throughout the episode, they emphasize the importance of embracing AI as a tool for positive change in the nonprofit sector, highlighting its potential to drive innovation, increase productivity, and alleviate burnout among nonprofit professionals. With their signature blend of expertise and humor, they further provide actionable advice for nonprofits looking to harness the full potential of AI in their operations. 

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

  • [02:21] Streamlining Workflows with AI-Powered Automation Tools
  • [07:47] Automating tasks with Zapier and Google Tasks.
  • [11:16] From Siri Shortcuts to Personalized AI Writing
  • [16:17] AI-Powered Auction Descriptions and Multimodal Interaction
  • [19:40] Leveraging AI for Prospect Research and Development
  • [23:16] Understanding Misattributions and Anti-AI Sentiment
  • [26:20] Addressing Resistance and Finding Success with AI

TIPS AND TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT TODAY

  • Automate tasks across different software using Zapier for enhanced productivity.
  • Utilize Siri Shortcuts on iOS devices to streamline everyday actions and save time.
  • Harness generative AI tools like ChatGPT to draft emails quickly and efficiently.
  • Explore vision computing tools to analyze images and generate descriptions for enhanced workflow.
  • Verify sources and accuracy of AI-generated content to mitigate risks associated with AI hallucination.
  • Use AI to draft compelling cases for investing in AI resources, showcasing potential benefits for organizational efficiency.
  • Implement a responsible AI framework to ensure the ethical and beneficial use of AI technologies, addressing bias and safeguarding against risks.
  • Leverage AI to automate prospect research tasks, such as summarizing data from various sources.
  • Incorporate multimodal AI capabilities to combine text, images, and audio for more comprehensive insights and solutions.
  • Embrace a culture of continuous learning and experimentation with AI tools to discover new efficiencies and opportunities for improvement.

FAVORITE QUOTES

  • "In the IMF reports that showed that 60% of all jobs in developed nations are going to be changed, not replaced but changed in some way by AI, I think that causes a lot of that fear." - Nathan Chappell
  • "You don't even need to give it anything by using vision computing; just put all the auction items on the table, take a photo of it, load that photo in the Chat GPT, and say, write an auction. It will do it phenomenally well." - Nathan Chappell
  • "Predictive AI is about efficiency. It's about taking lots of data and creating precision from it. But generative AI is really about helping you do your work better." - Nathan Chappell
  • "Hallucination was a big concern about large language models and Gen AI for a while, but it is becoming less and less of a concern." - Nathan Chappell
  • "Generative AI is really about helping you do your work better. So with a higher degree of accuracy, faster, you're saving time, and also with less burnout." - Nathan Chappell
  • "Even though ChatGPT is writing out draft emails for me automatically, I'm not just taking them and running with it." - Scott Rosenkrans
  • "Leverage what you're good at, but draw from things that you don't want to do." - Scott Rosenkrans
  • "LLMs are predicting what the next best word is going to be. And sometimes they predict words that sound good but aren't accurate." - Scott Rosenkrans
  • "You need something to get started and then make some of those tweaks along the way." - Scott Rosenkrans
  • "Automating saves me time. And it helps me to keep track of stuff.” - Scott Rosenkrans

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MEET YOUR HOSTS

Nathan Chappell

As a thought leader, public speaker, author and inventor, Nathan is one of the world’s foremost experts on the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and philanthropy. Nathan serves as Senior Vice President of DonorSearch AI, where he leads AI deployments for some of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations. Nathan’s subject matter expertise has been featured in several publications, including Fast Company, University of Notre Dame and the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy. In 2021, Nathan founded Fundraising.Ai as a member-centric collaboration of nonprofit professionals with a focus on data ethics, data equality, privacy and security, sustainability. Nathan presented the first TEDx on the topic of artificial intelligence and the future of generosity in 2018. Nathan is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and holds a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from University of Notre Dame, an MBA from University of Redlands, a certificate in International Economics from University of Cambridge and a certificate in Artificial Intelligence from MIT.

Scott Rosenkrans

Scott Rosenkrans is the Assistant Vice President of DonorSearch Ai and has been with the organization for three years. He began his journey in the nonprofit sector twelve years ago as a prospect researcher. He quickly became fascinated with data as he noticed the organization that he previously worked for was amassing a wealth of information but was unsure how to efficiently use the data and resources to its full potential. This led him to become interested in predictive modeling and data analytics. During this time, he began to create an immense commitment to delivering tailor-made machine learning models to nonprofits.

The thing that Scott loves most about working for DonorSearch is the ability to prioritize what is best for the client and nonprofit sector above all else. He believes that growth is our most important core value because the DSAi team continuously evolves and brings a unique perspective that provides value to our clients. He stays ahead of industry trends because of his insatiable drive to constantly try out new things.

Favorite nonprofit: Shriner’s Children Hospital because of their extreme commitment to providing exceptional medical care, while also alleviating the financial burdens on families.