Anti-poverty charity Trussell has received what it says is the UK’s first donation made entirely through an AI agent.
The donation was completed from start to finish through a conversation with an AI assistant, as part of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) AI live testing programme.
Through such transactions, a donor may ask the AI assistant about the charity’s work before they choose how much to donate, and are then asked for their bank details directly to set up a direct debit.
GoCardless, a company that helps businesses collect bank payments, developed the system for Trussell as part of the AI live testing programme, which is designed to help organisations develop and test the technology responsibly.
The development comes shortly after JustGiving launched the UK’s first AI fundraising coach in May this year.
Meanwhile, the UK government recently identified AI-powered payments as an important area for future development.
‘A genuine win for everyone’ but caution urged
Christianne McKenzie, head of individual giving at Trussell, said: “Every recurring donation helps us reach more people in need.
“If agentic payments make it simpler for someone to commit to giving, that's a genuine win for everyone as we work to end hunger together.
“What struck us most was how natural the whole process felt; the giving process is a conversation, not just a form to fill out. That's exactly the kind of experience we want for our donors.”
Meanwhile, Claire Stanley, director of policy and communications at the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, said: “As technology changes how people give, transactions like this could become a common part of how people donate to charity.
“Innovation that makes donating faster, simpler and more accessible is welcome, but it must go hand in hand with trust, transparency, and strong safeguards.
“We are developing guidance exploring the responsible use of AI in fundraising, and it’s clear from our discussions that donors need to know when they are interacting with AI, understand what they are agreeing to and how their information will be used.
“It’s vital that they are the ones who remain in control, making informed choices about their giving – and we will keep learning from innovative new approaches like this.”
Earlier this year, some charity fundraisers expressed concerns about the impact of AI and automation on their roles, in response to a survey by CharityJob.
