Fundraising.AI
Episode 59
Human + AI: Shaping the Nonprofit Work of Tomorrow
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OVERVIEW
In an era where Artificial Intelligence is redefining our world at a remarkably swift pace, the traditional way of doing things no longer guarantees decent outcomes. The transformation of how we work, create, and find meaning due to AI puts the conventional job pyramid into a disruptive mode. It’s our responsibility to embrace curiosity, adapt boldly, and focus on delivering meaningful outcomes rather than routine tasks in order to thrive in this constantly changing landscape. It is no longer enough to simply work harder; it’s essential to work smarter with the assistance of AI. The future belongs to those who are willing to combine the power of human creativity with the power of AI.
In this week’s episode, Nathan and Scott bring their usual updates on what new changes occurred in the landscape of AI. Then they share thoughts on the differences in AI adoption between the private and nonprofit sectors. The nonprofits have a responsibility to use AI thoughtfully because it can magnify their impact and shape the future of technology at the same time. Nathan then explains the importance of redefining success by choosing joy over traditional job titles in an AI-driven world. He also comments on the importance of encouraging the younger generations to follow what they love instead of the paycheck or traditional career paths. Furthermore, Nathan and Scott pay attention to discussing a much-needed topic: the limitations of AI when it comes to providing the human connection. AI can definitely answer your questions, but it cannot make you feel heard as another human being. It’s important to remember what a technology like AI is capable of and not capable of providing.
Wrapping up the conversation, Scott provides tips to train ChatGPT fast, and Nathan contributes with the ponder of the week and encourages people to slow down and take time to ground themselves with the reality of what surrounds them.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- [02:04] AI in the private and nonprofit sectors.
- [07:50] The weekly highlight on AI.
- [14:12] Document by OpenAI’s Red Team about AI resisting termination instructions.
- [16:22] The responsibility of using AI thoughtfully.
- [22:37] Redefining success.
- [37:37] The Collapse of the Traditional Career Pyramid.
- [31:14] The limitations of AI in providing the human connection.
- [35:50] AI in the nonprofit sector.
- [39:41] Tip of the Week – Train ChaatGPT fast with a quick profile of you and your work.
- [43:20] Ponder of the Week – Slow down and ground yourself with the reality of what's around you.
TIPS AND TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT TODAY
- Use AI to support and expand your mission, not to replace human values.
- Stay informed about the happenings in the landscape of AI.
- Encourage the younger generations to follow what brings them joy.
- Recognize that AI is changing the traditional career paths.
- Do not rely on the tasks that everyone can do; AI can do them better and faster.
- Find a skill that requires creativity, insight, or personal connection.
- Prepare realistically, adapt, or be left behind.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Allie K MIller's Linkedin Learning AI Course
- ChatGPT4 accurately predicts human behavior in social experiments at 85%, across genders, races, and political affiliations.
- AI Adoption Is Driving Real Top - And Bottom-Line Impact For Enterprises (Gartner)
- Gen AI is hitting a trough of disillusionment (Gartner Hype Cycle)
- A new AI Pendant created to combat loneliness
- AI-first organizations
- More departures at OpenAI
- OpenAI's GPT-5 is coming out soon. Here's what to expect.
FAVORITE QUOTES
- “I don't think anyone built an AI tool in the private sector thinking they want to do harm to society. But they also, a lot of times, don't think about the implications past what they're trying to achieve in the short-term outcome.” – Nathan Chappell
- “I think that's where the nonprofit sector has a special voice, because we don't have the same financial incentives to scale over safety, and at the end of the day, we're a little bit more clear in being willing to say no when humanity comes first.” – Nathan Chappell
- “When we think about the future of AI, it is a reflection of how we use AI today. It's a mirror of how we're using it today.” – Nathan Chappell
- “AI is everyone's responsibility, and we have to be really mindful of what it can do, and we have to make sure that we're using it responsibly, and being willing to say no when we're presented with technology that can do things that are impressive but maybe not beneficial.” – Nathan Chappell
- “You train AI to learn about you, both explicitly and implicitly. So it knows things about you that you might not even know about yourself.” – Scott Rosenkrans
- “Using AI is not direct. There's no goal-oriented approach there. AI is the goal.” – Scott Rosenkrans
- “AI can answer a question, it can't make you feel heard.” – Nathan Chappell
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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.
