The public is divided on whether charities should use artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new survey.
Approximately 27% of people surveyed by CharityTracker feel negatively about using AI for philanthropy, 36% feel positively, and 37% are unsure.
A survey of 3,000 UK adults conducted in December found that people were less favorable about charities using AI to decide who receives support, with 38% finding it ‘unacceptable’ and 33% finding it ‘acceptable’.
There was broader support for the use of AI in fraud detection.
Almost two-thirds of people, 64%, said it was acceptable for charities to use AI to detect fraud and fraud.
Approximately 53% said they would be comfortable using AI for administrative tasks such as scheduling and financial planning.
Concerns about the use of AI and personal data
CharityTracker said “the perceived risks remain significant” when and where to use AI.
Only 13% of people said they would be comfortable with their sensitive personal data being used by AI systems.
The most common concerns outlined in the survey were data security (36%), human factor loss (35%), and risk of making a critical mistake (31%).
The use of AI-generated images has recently been the subject of a social media storm about X, polarizing public opinion.
Opinions are divided, with approximately 40% saying it is acceptable and 31% saying it is unacceptable.
generation gap
The people who were most opposed to the use of AI were the elderly, who had “limited personal use of AI.”
46% of people aged 55 and over said the use of AI to decide who receives support is unacceptable, the highest of any population.
When it comes to AI-generated images, older adults were most opposed to its application.
CharityTracker Executive Director Ashley Lawthorne said: “It’s no surprise that charities are exploring AI to manage pressure on services and use resources more effectively, but this research shows how easily this can be misunderstood.
“Strong governance, transparency and human accountability are essential to maintaining public trust.
“The public is not completely rejecting AI; there is real permission when AI supports people, protects funds, and improves efficiency.
“But trust quickly erodes when human judgment begins to replace human judgment in who receives help.”
