Episode 10 - Cheryl Contee on Ethical AI Adoption for Nonprofits: Beyond the "Not Using AI" Myth

Описание: Episode Description:



Discover why there's no such thing as "not using AI" in 2025 and learn how nonprofits can adopt artificial intelligence ethically and responsibly. Cheryl Contee, co-author of "AI for Nonprofits" and co-founder of Change Agent AI, shares practical strategies for mission-driven organizations navigating the AI revolution.



Key Topics Covered:



🤖 AI Reality Check




• Why nonprofits are already using AI (classifier AI, predictive analytics, email platforms)


• The myth of AI avoidance in modern organizations


• How AI has been integrated into everyday tools for 10-15 years




🌍 Environmental Considerations




• Addressing environmental concerns about AI energy consumption


• Clean energy adoption trends globally (California: 2/3 clean energy, Netherlands: 50%, Saudi Arabia: 100% by 2030)


• Sustainable AI alternatives for environmentally conscious organizations




📚 AI for Nonprofits Book Insights




• 600-page comprehensive field guide with 57 contributors


• Practical how-to approach vs. theoretical frameworks


• Table of contents strategy for targeted learning




🛠️ Types of AI for Nonprofits




• Classifier AI: Behind-the-scenes personalization and routing


• Predictive Analytics: Campaign optimization and audience targeting


• Content Development: Draft generation, video editing, presentation creation


• Human-in-the-Loop: Maintaining quality and organizational voice




⚡ Practical AI Tools Mentioned




• Change Agent AI: Values-aligned alternative to ChatGPT/Claude


• Opus AI: Video snippet creation for social media


• Pop AI: Automated slide deck generation


• Grammarly: Predictive text assistance




💡 Best Practices for Ethical AI Adoption




• Maintaining human oversight and quality control


• Using AI for augmentation, not replacement


• Focusing on tedious, repetitive tasks to free up human creativity


• Keeping organizational values and context central




Guest Bio:



Cheryl Contee is a technology leader and social impact advocate with a unique background combining ethics, politics, economics (Yale University) and hands-on tech experience. As co-author of "AI for Nonprofits" and co-founder of Change Agent AI, she helps mission-driven organizations adopt AI responsibly while maintaining their values and environmental consciousness.



Resources Mentioned:




• Book: "AI for Nonprofits" by Cheryl Contee and Darien Rodriguez Haman


• Website: ai4np.org


• Platform: Change Agent AI (change.ai)


• Tools: Opus AI, Pop AI, Action Network


• Contributors: Beth Cantor, Brian Young (Action Network founder)




Key Quotes:



"AI's not gonna take your job, but someone who knows how to use AI well is gonna take your job."



"There's no not using AI. AI's using you, so why not get into the driver's seat?"



"AI is like a really smart intern—it can do a lot of things, but it doesn't have the experience, sophistication, context, meaning, and passion that you have."



Episode Timestamps:




• [00:00] Introduction and background


• [01:00] Cheryl's leadership journey: ethics meets technology


• [03:00] The "not using AI" myth debunked


• [06:00] Environmental concerns and clean energy solutions


• [12:00] Types of AI: classifier, predictive, generative


• [16:00] Practical content development tools


• [19:00] Human-in-the-loop best practices


• [20:00] Book availability and resources




Connect with Cheryl Contee:




• LinkedIn:   / cherylcontee  


• Website: ai4np.org


• Company: Change Agent (https://thechange.ai/)




Connect with Jennifer Sconyers and Abundance Leadership Consulting, LLC:




• LinkedIn:   / abundance-leadership-consulting-llc  


• YouTube:    / @jennifersconyers5709  


• Website: https://www.jennifersconyers.com/




#AIForNonprofits #EthicalAI #NonprofitTechnology #DigitalTransformation #SocialImpact #EnvironmentalAI #ResponsibleTech #MissionDriven #ChangeAgent #TechForGood