Public attitudes are split on whether charities should be using artificial intelligence (AI), according to a new survey.
Some 27% of people surveyed by CharityTracker said they felt negatively about charities using AI, with 36% feeling positively and 37% unsure.
The survey of 3,000 UK adults conducted in December found that people were less positive about charities using AI to decide who receives support, with 38% finding it “unacceptable” against 33% who judged it to be “acceptable”.
In fraud detection, AI use was more widely supported.
Almost two-thirds of people, 64%, said it was acceptable for charities to use AI to detect fraud and scams.
Some 53% said they were comfortable with AI use for admin duties such as scheduling or financial planning.
Concerns over AI use and personal data
CharityTracker said that “perceived risks remain prominent” over when and where to use AI.
Just 13% of people said they felt comfortable with sensitive personal data being used in AI systems.
Data security, 36%, loss of the human factor, 35%, and the risk of serious mistakes, 31%, were the most common concerns outlined in the research.
The use of AI-generated images, recently the subject of a social media storm on X, divided public opinion.
Some 40% found it acceptable while 31% said it was unacceptable, reflecting divided views.
Generational divides
Older people with “limited personal use of AI” were most against its use.
Of those aged over 55, 46% said the use of AI to decide who receives support was unacceptable, the highest of any demographic.
With regard to AI-generated images, older people were most against their application.
Ashley Rowthorn, CharityTracker executive director, said: “Charities are rightly exploring AI to manage pressure on services and use their resources more effectively, but this research shows how easy it is to get this wrong.
“Strong governance, transparency, and human accountability are essential to maintaining public confidence.
“The public is not rejecting AI outright. Where it supports people, protects funds, or improves efficiency, there is real permission.
“But when it starts to replace human judgement in decisions about who receives help, trust quickly falls away.”
