AI in charity content: a sector study

AI tools are changing how content gets made and how it gets found. This research is about understanding what that means for the charity sector — and hearing directly from the people doing the work.

About the project

AI tools are being adopted quickly — but unevenly — across the charity and non-profit sector. Often without clear organisational guidance, and without a shared sense of what good practice looks like. This research is about surfacing what’s actually happening — not what organisations say they’re doing, but what the people doing the work are experiencing day to day.

I’m developing two linked studies on how AI is reshaping content in the sector. Both draw on the same primary research — a sector-wide survey and a qualitative strand of interviews and diary studies — but they’ll be published as standalone reports. Together, they offer a fuller picture of AI’s impact on content than either could give on its own.

This project is being supported by and developed in partnership with William Joseph.

The two reports

AI adoption in charity content

This report maps where AI has actually landed among the people who make content for charities and non-profits. It looks at which tools people are using, what they’re using them for, whether that use is individual or organisation-sanctioned, and what concerns and challenges are emerging along the way.

AI, search and content discovery in the charity sector

This report looks at how AI-driven changes to search are affecting whether charity content gets found at all — and how organisations are (or aren’t) adapting. It draws on primary research alongside desk research and data sharing, to build a picture of what good practice looks like in an AI search environment.

Who can take part

The survey is open to anyone who produces content as part of their role — content managers, copywriters, digital officers, comms managers, marketing generalists, and more. You don’t need to be an AI enthusiast or an expert. I want to hear from people who use AI tools all the time, occasionally, or not at all.

For the qualitative strand, I’m particularly interested in speaking to people who lead content at a UK-based charity or non-profit and can speak to both the strategic and practical dimensions of how their organisation is approaching AI.

Not working for a charity? You’re still welcome to take part in the survey. I’m interested in cross-sector comparison, and I’ll publish a separate summary of results from non-charity respondents (subject to getting enough responses).

How you can get involved

There are a few ways to support this project:

Participate — complete the survey, take part in an interview or diary study, or share data with me
Help with recruitment — if you have a network of charity content people, sharing the survey with them would make a real difference to the reach and diversity of responses; no financial commitment, and you’ll be acknowledged in both reports

The project will run from June to September 2026, with both reports published in September.

Register your interest

Whether you want to take the survey, be interviewed, or help spread the word — I’d love to hear from you.