Nonprofit boards must consider multiple aspects of their organizations, from finance to operations. One new area of consideration is generative AI or GenAI. With the breakthrough technology now taking firm hold in the minds of businesspeople everywhere, Boards need to make decisions now to ensure that the platform is used appropriately and ethically in the nonprofit environment.
Here, we have put together a series of considerations based on a McKinsey document by Frithjof Lund and expanded upon by our own insights. What do you think? Drop us a note or a comment and let us know.
5 GenAI Questions Every Nonprofit Board Should Ask
Depending on what you have read, seen, or experienced with GenAI, you may view it as a valuable addition to your technology stack or a troubling security risk. Both views are valid. GenAI is new, and it does indeed provide some enhancements to various tasks. It is especially good at improving productivity and efficiency. However, it also comes with some risks, especially to secure, private, or confidential information shared with it.
Here are five considerations for your nonprofit board to review and discuss.
- Do we have a GenAI policy in place for employees and volunteers?
Given how new GenAI is, the answer is “probably not.” However, it is essential to clarify the organization’s position on when, how, and why GenAI may be used and by whom.
Consider the following as part of your GenAI policy:
- When do we think it is acceptable to use GenAI, and for what types of projects? For example, is it okay to feed a published piece of content, such as an article, into GenAI and ask it to summarize it? Is it okay for our staff to use GenAI to outline a presentation but not okay to ask it to write an article?
- How can it be used? Be clear about the circumstances in which you think GenAI is acceptable and when it is not.
- Clarify what may be shared with common GenAI platforms. Many executives and security experts have expressed concern about the potential of proprietary information leaks from unwary GenAI users. Any information ingested by a GenAI platform becomes part of its memory or part of the data from which it may draw future outputs for anyone using it. Sharing confidential or proprietary information with it could lead to an information leak that puts an organization at risk.
- How might GenAI impact our organization?
The board must consider the impact that GenAI can make on all areas of the organization: marketing, finance, operations, and human resources. There are many proven use cases now available for the usage of AI in each of these functional areas of an organization, but it is up to Boards to decide where or how it may be utilized in each.
- When should we begin using GenAI?
If you’re not already using it (and some of your employees probably are already), then don’t wait. Create your GenAI policy. After study and discussion, choose an area for a pilot program. For example, consider the accounting software already in use at your organization. Does the software vendor provide an AI-based tool with it? Is it being used effectively? How might it be used to automate existing processes or improve efficiency?
A pilot project with one department is a low-risk way to test the waters. It helps you make inroads and test concepts without a heavy investment and will help you assess the results quickly too.
- Who will be responsible for this moving forward?
Another vital question that Boards must address is who in the organization will be responsible for GenAI policies and use moving forward. It may—or may not—be the IT department. A representative group, comprised of members from each department, may be a good way to begin to ensure that the potential of this emerging technology is considered from every possible angle.
- How will GenAI impact our industry?
Any new technology is a disruptor, and GenAI has the potential to be a huge disruptor in all industry segments. The question isn’t whether but how it will impact my specific nonprofit and the area in which we work. Consider researching this topic further and bringing it back to the forefront periodically for review by your board and organizational leaders.
Stay Ahead of the Curve
With the field of GenAI changing rapidly, keeping abreast of trends and changes, and incorporating those that can give your organization a competitive edge is vital. Your board can lead the charge, ensuring that this new tool becomes a useful adjunct to your existing software rather than a distraction.
Welter Consulting
Welter Consulting bridges people and technology together for effective solutions for nonprofit organizations. We offer software and services that can help you with your accounting needs. Please contact us for more information.
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