Can AI Help Us Give Better?
USATue Dec 23 2025
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People in America are generous. In 2024, donations reached new heights, especially when families struggled with delays in food assistance. Yet, overall giving has stayed at 2. 5% of GDP for 50 years. The issue isn't a lack of caring. It's a lack of tools to turn that caring into real change.
AI could be the missing piece. It can connect data across different causes, predict needs before they happen, and turn donations into measurable progress. Think of generosity as the fuel and AI as the engine that makes it go further.
A group called the Generosity Generation is leading this change. They believe in working together, sharing information, and using technology to make a bigger impact. The goal is to use AI to help people do more good, not just do more work.
But there's a catch. Many nonprofits struggle with software that's supposed to save time but ends up creating more work. The cost and complexity often outweigh the benefits. What if AI could work in the background, handling tasks like drafting grant proposals and surfacing insights, so people can focus on building relationships and driving their missions?
Trust is key here. AI tools must be transparent, secure, and accountable. Nonprofits and companies alike need to ensure that the technology they use reflects their values. Human-led AI keeps people in the loop, ensuring that decisions reflect human judgment, not just machine logic.
When AI earns trust, it can multiply impact. Fundraisers can find the right message faster. Companies can see where volunteer hours matter most. Foundations can match funding quickly. And when guided by transparency and accountability, AI not only protects trust but deepens it.
Data has always told us what happened. AI shows us what's possible. It turns data into understanding, helping organizations communicate with their communities in a way that resonates. Personalization in the social sector isn't about selling more; it's about seeing more—who needs help, what inspires them, and where generosity has the most impact.
When data builds transparency, people engage. When they engage, generosity grows. That's how trust translates into impact. Pair human purpose with autonomous tools, and giving doesn't just scale—it transforms. That's how we turn information into action and generosity into a movement.
