In the current wave of AI proliferation, many are wondering if AI shows promise for boosting animal advocacy — and can see that adoption lags behind its potential benefits. A survey by Open Paws, a nonprofit organization dedicated to leveraging AI technology for animal advocacy, reveals both the opportunities and barriers to AI use in the animal protection movement. The study gathered insights from 194 participants across 142 organizations, providing a view of the current landscape.

The survey found that about half of advocates use AI weekly or daily, while one-third rarely or never use it. Specifically, 29.4% use AI weekly, 19.6% daily, 18.6% monthly, and 32.5% either very rarely or never. This split highlights a significant opportunity for increased AI adoption in the field. Attitudes towards AI are largely positive, with 72% of individuals and 60% of organizations viewing AI favorably. This positive outlook suggests a willingness to embrace AI technologies, despite current usage patterns.

Currently, animal advocates primarily use AI for writing and editing content (51%), brainstorming (55%), and creating media (24%) — applications that demonstrate AI’s potential to enhance creative processes and content production in advocacy. Other current uses include searching for reliable information sources (27.3%), personalizing responses to comments and messages (28.4%), and grant writing and fundraising support (20.1%).

Looking to the future, advocates express interest in expanding AI use to automate tasks (53%), predict campaign outcomes (51%), and improve digital advertising (45%). These desired uses point to a recognition of AI’s potential to streamline operations and enhance strategic decision-making. Interestingly, frequent AI users showed more interest in these advanced applications compared to users who rarely employ these tools. For instance, 61.9% of frequent users are interested in predicting campaign outcomes, compared to only 29.4% of rare users.

Despite the interest in AI, several key barriers hinder its widespread adoption. The most significant challenges include a lack of technical expertise (60.3%), concerns about AI errors and false information (43.3%), and limited budgets (38.7%). Other notable barriers include data privacy and security concerns (28.9%) and speciesist bias in AI systems (21.1%). These obstacles underscore the need for targeted support and resources to help advocacy organizations effectively integrate AI into their work.

A majority of survey respondents (83%) expressed willingness to share at least one type of data for AI training. Website content (35.1%) and social media content (32%) were the most commonly offered data types, followed by research and reports (20.1%) and campaign materials (14.9%). This openness to data sharing could be crucial for developing AI tools tailored to the specific needs of animal advocacy. Notably, frequent AI users and those with positive attitudes towards AI showed a higher willingness to share data.

To address these challenges and capitalize on the opportunities AI presents, Open Paws recommends several key actions. 

• Creating targeted education programs on AI for advocacy could help bridge the skills gap. This could include workshops, webinars, and online tutorials focusing on practical AI applications within animal advocacy.
• Offering custom AI solutions for advocacy groups could make AI more accessible and relevant.
• Developing user-friendly, accurate AI tools specifically for animal advocacy could address concerns about AI errors and biases.
• Setting up grants and partnerships to support AI adoption could help overcome budget constraints. The report suggests that funders could create assistance programs specifically aimed at helping animal advocacy organizations develop and integrate AI tools.

By tackling these challenges and tapping into AI’s potential, animal advocates may be able to boost their impact and effectiveness. As AI continues to evolve, its integration into animal advocacy work presents exciting possibilities for advancing the cause of animal protection. The path forward involves not only embracing new technologies but also ensuring they are developed and used in ways that align with the values and goals of the animal advocacy movement.