There’s no denying that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools can improve your productivity and creative output. Imagine saying, “Hey, ChatGPT, write a month’s worth of social media posts about our upcoming concert,” and within mere seconds, your wish is granted. Who wouldn’t want that kind of efficiency?!
As a nonprofit marketer, I get how tempting that can be—especially when you’re juggling a million tasks on a tight budget and limited time. That said, while AI can be a great tool for chorus marketers (and help make our jobs a little bit easier), it’s not a magic bullet. Like any tool, it comes with its own set of challenges, so it’s important to approach it with a healthy dose of curiosity and caution.
If you’re using AI—or thinking about it—here are the top 5 things nonprofit choir marketers might not know about AI, but definitely should
1. AI can generate wrong or misleading information (aka “Hallucinations”) 😱
This one's important: AI, including popular tools like ChatGPT, can sometimes create content that sounds incredibly convincing, but it’s just plain wrong. This phenomenon is called “AI hallucinations.” Trust me, I've learned the hard way to double-check everything. Whether it’s drafting a press release, writing a donor appeal, or putting together program notes, never assume AI is the final word. Always take the time to verify facts—especially when it comes to complex topics like music or nonprofit management.
Case in point: I once asked an AI tool to generate a fundraising email for a special concert. It sounded great… until I realized it was referencing a piece of music that wasn't even part of the program! AI isn’t a substitute for actual expert human knowledge—so use it wisely, but always check the details.
2. AI tools may collect and store data (be mindful of privacy & security!)
We all love a good free tool, but nothing in life is ever really free (amirite?). The reality is, that many AI platforms—whether low-cost, free or paid—collect the data you input. Sometimes the data is also shared with third parties (like OpenAI — the parent company of ChatGPT) for processing. So, it’s important to be mindful of sensitive data (think donor information, ticket sales, etc.) because, unfortunately, data risks are high.
Imagine using AI to optimize your email marketing, only to realize that your patron data might be at risk. It’s crucial to read the privacy policies, especially when it comes to free platforms that are more likely to monetize data. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so when in doubt, avoid feeding sensitive information into AI platforms.
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3. AI can perpetuate bias (yes, even in marketing and fundraising)
How does AI “know” what it knows? Put simply, it learns from huge amounts of information collected from the internet, as well as books, ChatGPT prompts, and a zillion other sources. But since this information comes from humans, it can include unfair ideas or stereotypes about things like gender, race, or income. Because AI “learns” from these biases and can (and does) sometimes repeat those same bias patterns when making decisions or answering your prompts.
What does this mean for choirs? This means that even though AI may seem like a neutral tool, it can still unintentionally favor certain demographics over others. For example, when AI generates content for a fundraising campaign, it might inadvertently focus on a specific donor group, leaving others behind. As choir marketers, we have to ensure that our outreach is inclusive and representative of all community members.
So, when using AI-generated content for your marketing and fundraising efforts, always review it for diversity, equity and inclusivity. A little extra attention to detail can go a long way in keeping your message open and welcoming to everyone.
4. Content generated by AI sometimes lacks the emotional nuance of human creativity (duh)
Urgh. This one always hits home for me—being in the arts, especially working with choirs, we know how important emotion is in our work! And as much as I LOVE embracing new technologies like AI, it simply CANNOT capture the emotional depth that human creativity brings to the table. Whether it’s the passion of a choir’s performance or the personal connections made between choir members and the audience, AI simply doesn’t “feel” it.
Sure, AI can be helpful for tasks like drafting social media posts or writing quick blog content, but I’ve found that AI-generated content tends to lack that special spark—the one that makes you FEEL something. So while AI can be a useful tool for generating ideas or getting a rough draft together, PLEASE never forget to bring your own unique, irreplaceable human touch to the work. After all, our art form is built on emotion—don’t let the robots take that away. ❤️
5. AI is a tool, not a magic fix (strategy still matters)
It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that AI is a magical fix for all your marketing challenges. And while AI can certainly make things easier, it won’t replace the need for a solid marketing strategy (like this). If you don’t have a clear understanding of your goals, audience, and branding, AI-generated content will end up feeling generic, disconnected, or even off-brand. AKA BORING.
Sure, you can ask AI to generate a social media post for an upcoming concert. It might even be well-written and professional, but unless you’re giving the AI tool a lot of background on the history, heart and voice of your organization, chances are the post isn’t going to capture the heart of your choir’s mission, which is all about community and emotional connection through music, right? Polished is nice, but authentic is better. So, while AI can handle a lot of the legwork, you still need to have a strong strategy in place.
AI is a ubiquitous and powerful tool with great potential. For nonprofit and arts organizations, AI should enhance your creativity and help you manage your workload—not replace the human touch that makes your work meaningful. I hope that by keeping these five things in mind, you can navigate the world of AI with more confidence and use it to elevate your choir’s marketing efforts without losing the personal connection that makes your choir so special.
Now it's your turn: What’s your experience with AI so far? Are you using it for your choir’s marketing, or are you still deciding? Feel free to share your thoughts and reflections—I’d love to hear how you’re approaching this technology! 🤖
Lauren Potter is a digital marketing consultant specializing in storytelling through brand management, content strategy, and integrated campaigns. As a former vocal performance major, Lauren has had the opportunity to perform with several choral ensembles in Arizona. Her first experience working with nonprofit arts organizations was as an intern with the Grammy-winning Phoenix Chorale, where she then joined the staff and led the organization’s patron services for nearly two years. To further her love of storytelling, Lauren ultimately graduated with a degree in journalism from ASU’s Cronkite School, and has gone on to lead the social media and marketing efforts for organizations spanning the nonprofit, public, and private sectors including Helios: A Modern Renaissance, Artlink Phoenix, Downtown Phoenix Inc., and Self-Care Society to name a few. In her work as a consultant (www.laurenpotter.online), Lauren helps human-centered organizations engage audiences, galvanize communities and drive brand awareness through compelling content and solid strategy. When she’s not serenading her two cats, Lauren can be found supporting the arts, eating tacos, and visiting family and friends in her homeland of Australia.