How to build AI skills responsibly

Research shows that half of all knowledge workers are using personal artificial intelligence (AI) tools at work. This phenomenon of using unauthorised personal AI tools at work is known as “shadow AI”. With shadow AI, AI adoption in the workplace is being driven by individual employees, not their leaders, and means that organisational approaches to AI are disconnected and inconsistent – leaving charities open to the increased risk of data breaches, bias, misinformation, off-brand content, and a growing lack of trust between the charity and its stakeholders.  

For charities, this statistic should be particularly concerning given the speed with which AI is gaining traction.  In such a changing environment it can be difficult for charity professionals to keep up with best practice and difficult for the organisation itself to monitor those risks mentioned above. 

But it’s clear there is appetite within the sector for the productivity gains that AI can bring. Almost two thirds of charities (62%) say they are excited about the potential of AI tools to increase their impact, according to the 2025 Charity Digital Skills report. So instead of prohibiting the use of AI tools, charities should look for ways to harness that energy, empowering their teams to use AI purposefully in the aim of achieving their mission.  

The best ways to ensure that charity professionals use AI tools responsibly are training and policy. An AI policy can set out clear parameters for how AI is used and in which areas. It builds consistency and confidence across the organisation, giving everyone a full understanding of how AI can support progress and how to use it ethically.  

Investing in AI training underscores those parameters and boosts understanding further. Charity professionals can learn the risks and best practices of AI themselves, allowing them to make informed decisions about applying it to their work.  

“Before you can use AI authentically, you need to understand it,” explains social media marketing experts and AI Trainers, Naturally Social. “Training doesn’t mean becoming a developer or data scientist, it means learning the basics of what AI can and can’t do. For example, AI can draft copy, summarise research or suggest ideas, but it can’t replace the nuance of human experience, lived values, or emotional intelligence.” 

Naturally Social offers bespoke AI training to organisations looking to understand AI at either beginner and intermediate level.  Each course aims to inspire and motivate organisations around AI, giving them practical advice on how it can be used and a foundational understanding of how it works.  

Naturally Social also provides free industry tips on their blog, sharing how organisations can stay authentic when using AI, how AI tools can support content creation, and more. You can check out their most recent articles by clicking the button below. 

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Below, we share some of Naturally Social’s most inspiring tips and explain how charities can build their skills to make the most of AI while managing its myriad of risks.  

How to embrace AI responsibly 

Be strategic 

AI is not a way of life; it’s a tool. And how we use it matters. Charities should always keep their goals in mind when exploring how AI tools can support. 

This is where an AI policy comes in. An AI policy should involve use cases, where there is a clear link between AI tools and their purpose. Charities should list their goals – whether small and short-term or big and long-term – and consider how AI can help them achieve that. For example, you might want to improve the success of your funding applications – AI tools can help you discover the funders that are most relevant to your cause, maximising your chances of being accepted. 

“Not all AI tools are equal, and choosing the right one matters. Some are built for speed, others for creativity, and many for very specific functions like transcription or image generation. Start by asking: what do I want this tool to achieve for my business?” advises Naturally Social.  

Be choosy 

There are plenty of areas where AI tools can help charities – but that doesn’t always mean it’s responsible to use them. 

Take content creation, for example. AI tools can generate copy at speed with minimal prompting. But that doesn’t mean your content should entirely be created by AI. That could lead to a decline in trust between charities and their audiences, particularly if the AI usage isn’t transparent. It can lead to inconsistent communications that don’t match your usual tone of voice or messaging. It can even lead to inaccuracies or insensitive communications, if left unchecked.  

While AI can be helpful providing inspiration and generating initial drafts, applying human oversight is what will give it its authenticity and meaningfulness. 

"Your audience comes to you for your insight and values,” says Naturally Social. “AI can support you in the background, but it’s your voice and judgement that really makes the message land.” 

Experiment 

While shadow AI poses a risk to charities, it’s not the tools themselves that are the problem – it’s the variable, unmonitored application of them. 

Charities must empower their teams to explore AI’s capabilities in safe, supported environment. Once again, it comes back to training and policy.  

Give employees knowledge of the risks and guidelines to where AI can be used. Create a culture that encourages employees to bring new tools to the table and implement trial periods to monitor their performance. With these measures in place, shadow AI is no longer a tempting prospect; there is no need to use personal AI tools when organisations are open to adopting them, providing there’s a reasonable benefit.  

To make the most of AI, charities need to ensure they take an organisational approach, one that’s led from the top and carefully managed to keep AI use, first and foremost, responsible. 

To find out more about how Naturally Social can support your charity with AI, get in touch via the button below.