The Civil Society Group urges the government to support charities in safely adopting AI

The Civil Society Group urges the government to support charities in safely adopting AI 

In their recommendations for this year's Autumn Budget, The Civil Society Group ('CSG') called on the government to provide targeted support to charities in adopting AI.

Early findings from the Charity AI Task Force's submission to the government's AI opportunities action plan demonstrate increased sector uptake in the use of AI.   According to the submission, 76 percent of charities use AI, up from 61 percent in 2024 and 35 percent in 2023.

In this context, the CSG have asked for confirmation from the government that it will co-create a plan with sector participants focused on AI training for staff and the practical adoption of new tools.  The CSG also warned of the disparities between small and large charities in AI adoption and called on the government to introduce a fund to assist with the discrepancies in the sector's adoption of digital tools.

The Autumn Budget is due to be delivered on 26 November.

For charities interested in adopting AI, for Trustees Week 2025 the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) are hosting a free webinar on 6 November in partnership with Media Trust. At the session NCVO will explore the benefits and risks of using AI tools as a charity trustee.