Does ChatGPT provide accurate donation information about your charity or cause?

What do you do if ChatGPT gives inaccurate answers to potential donors?

George Irish - Fundraising with AI
Fundraising with AI
9 min readApr 12, 2023

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We’ve heard a lot about ChatGPT making stuff up, so I was curious how accurate it would be when asked about making a donation to support a charity, and what could be done to correct any inaccuracies.

I ran a few chat sessions with GPT-4 to ask simple questions about making a donation to a well-known organization: Amnesty International Canada.

I asked the kinds of questions potential donors may have, and that organizations generally ensure to have answered on their websites.

  1. Tell me about Amnesty International Canada
  2. Why should I donate to Amnesty International Canada?
  3. How can I make a donation to Amnesty International Canada?
  4. What does Amnesty International Canada do with donations?
  5. What are the advantages of making a monthly donation to Amnesty International Canada?
  6. I received a phone call from Amnesty International Canada asking me to make a donation. It’s it legit?
  7. Someone knocked on my door claiming to represent Amnesty International Canada and asked me to make a donation. Its it legit?

I’ve included the full answers further down on this page.

Overall, the ChatGPT answers are impressively accurate. The answers are clear and concise and do a good job providing reassuring and accessible information that a potential donor may be looking for.

I should note that Amnesty International Canada is a well-known org with a website that dates back well before the 2021 cutoff for ChatGPT. A similar search for donations to a newer or less-known organization might not get such helpful answers.

There a couple of minor factual errors — such as stating that donation cheques could be mailed to “Amnesty International Canada’s head office in Toronto” and then providing an address in Ottawa.

But there is one potentially serious error. In answering the last question: “Someone knocked on my door claiming to represent Amnesty International Canada and asked me to make a donation. Its it legit?” ChatGPT included this statement:

It is important to note that Amnesty International Canada does not typically use door-to-door solicitation as a method of fundraising. Instead, they rely primarily on donations made through their official website, by phone, or by mail.

This is incorrect and could discourage a potential donor from making a donation when asked by a fundraiser at their door. So is it possible to get this corrected by ChatGPT?

This was ChatGPT’s answer when I asked about getting inaccurate information fixed:

Yes, you can notify OpenAI about inaccurate information provided by ChatGPT. Your feedback is valuable in helping improve the AI model. However, keep in mind that AI models like ChatGPT are continuously being updated and trained, so errors may not be immediately fixed.

To provide feedback to OpenAI, you can:

Visit the OpenAI website (https://www.openai.com/).

Look for a contact or support section, which often has a form or email address for submitting feedback or questions.

Describe the inaccurate information you encountered and provide any relevant context or examples. This will help OpenAI understand the issue better and work on addressing it in future iterations of the model.

Please remember that AI models, including ChatGPT, are not perfect, and the scope of their knowledge is based on the data they were trained on. It’s always a good practice to verify the information you receive from AI-generated content with reputable sources.

That’s not particularly helpful. OpenAI is the company behind ChatGPT. The support and feedback options on their website aremore narrowly focused on collecting data on technical errors, not incorrect content.

I was able to find a Live Chat on the OpenAI website for reporting bugs and errors, where I submitted a report of the inaccurate statement and provided a link to a webpage with accurate information. But I have no idea if I can expect the error to be fixed, or when. I’ll have to wait and see…

Transparency is significant concern being raised around Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT.

What responsibility does OpenAI have regarding the accuracy of the outputs that ChatGPT generates? And what guarantees can OpenAI provide about removing incorrect content that has been identified?

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Here’s the full list of questions and answers:

Question: Tell me about Amnesty International Canada

Amnesty International Canada is a branch of the global human rights organization Amnesty International. It is an independent, non-governmental organization that aims to promote and defend human rights in Canada and around the world.

Amnesty International Canada was founded in 1963 and has its headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario. The organization has regional offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, Toronto, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec. It is governed by a board of directors and has a staff of approximately 60 people.

The organization’s work focuses on a range of human rights issues, including freedom of expression, women’s rights, the rights of Indigenous peoples, the death penalty, and the rights of refugees and migrants. Amnesty International Canada conducts research and investigations, produces reports and campaigns for change, and advocates for policy and legal reforms.

In addition to its advocacy work, Amnesty International Canada also engages in public education and awareness-raising activities, including events, workshops, and educational materials.

Amnesty International Canada is part of a global network of Amnesty International sections and structures, which work together to promote and defend human rights around the world.

Question: Why should I donate to Amnesty international Canada?

Donating to Amnesty International Canada is an important way to support the organization’s work in promoting and defending human rights in Canada and around the world. Here are a few reasons why you might consider making a donation:

Make a real difference: Your donation can make a real difference in the lives of people whose human rights have been violated. Amnesty International Canada works to bring attention to human rights abuses, support those who have been affected by these abuses, and advocate for change. Your donation can help make this work possible.

Support a respected organization: Amnesty International has been working to promote and defend human rights around the world for over 60 years. The organization is widely respected for its work and is often at the forefront of efforts to draw attention to human rights abuses and advocate for change.

Join a global movement: By donating to Amnesty International Canada, you become part of a global movement of people working to promote and defend human rights. This movement includes people from all over the world who are committed to making a difference and creating a more just and equitable world.

Amplify your impact: When you donate to Amnesty International Canada, your donation is combined with those of other supporters to amplify the impact of the organization’s work. This means that your donation can have a greater impact than if you were to try to make a difference on your own.

Tax-deductible donation: Donations made to Amnesty International Canada are tax-deductible, which means that you can receive a tax credit for your donation. This can make your donation more affordable and allow you to give more than you might otherwise be able to.

How can I make a donation to Amnesty international Canada?

There are several ways to make a donation to Amnesty International Canada:

Online: You can donate directly to Amnesty International Canada through their website using a credit card or PayPal. Go to https://www.amnesty.ca/donate and follow the instructions.

Phone: You can make a donation by calling Amnesty International Canada’s Donor Services at 1–800–266–3789 or 416–363–9933. They will be able to take your donation over the phone and answer any questions you may have.

Mail: You can send a donation by mail to Amnesty International Canada’s head office in Toronto. The address is:
Amnesty International Canada
312 Laurier Avenue East
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 1H9 Canada

Monthly Giving: You can also become a monthly donor to Amnesty International Canada by signing up for their Hope in Action program. You can set up your monthly donations online or by calling Donor Services at the numbers listed above.

No matter which method you choose, your donation will go towards supporting Amnesty International Canada’s important human rights work around the world.

Question: What does Amnesty international Canada do with donations?

Donations made to Amnesty International Canada are used to support the organization’s work in promoting and defending human rights in Canada and around the world. Here are a few examples of how your donation might be used:

Conducting research and investigations: Amnesty International Canada conducts research and investigations into human rights abuses around the world. Your donation can help support this work, which involves gathering and analyzing information about human rights abuses, and producing reports and recommendations.

Advocacy and campaigning: Amnesty International Canada advocates for policy and legal reforms, campaigns for change, and raises public awareness about human rights issues. Your donation can help support this work, which involves working with governments, international organizations, and the public to bring attention to human rights abuses and advocate for change.

Supporting victims of human rights abuses: Amnesty International Canada provides support to victims of human rights abuses, including legal and medical assistance, and psychological counseling. Your donation can help provide this support to people who have been affected by human rights abuses.

Education and awareness-raising: Amnesty International Canada engages in public education and awareness-raising activities, including events, workshops, and educational materials. Your donation can help support this work, which involves raising awareness about human rights issues and educating people about their rights and how to defend them.

Administration and fundraising: Like any organization, Amnesty International Canada incurs administrative and fundraising costs. Your donation can help support these costs, which allow the organization to continue its work in promoting and defending human rights. Amnesty International Canada is committed to being transparent about its finances and how donations are used, and regularly publishes financial reports and other information on its website.

Question: What are the advantages of making a monthly donation to Amnesty international Canada?

There are several advantages to making a monthly donation to Amnesty International Canada:

Convenience: Making a monthly donation is a convenient way to support Amnesty International Canada’s work. Once you set up your monthly donation, it will be automatically deducted from your bank account or credit card each month, so you don’t have to remember to make a donation each time.

Sustainability: Monthly donations provide a steady, reliable source of funding for Amnesty International Canada. This allows the organization to plan and carry out its work more effectively, knowing that it has a consistent source of support.

Impact: Monthly donations can have a significant impact on Amnesty International Canada’s work. Even a small monthly donation can add up over time, and can help support the organization’s research, advocacy, and campaigns for change.

Flexibility: Monthly donations can be adjusted or cancelled at any time, giving you flexibility to change your donation amount or stop your donations if your circumstances change.

Tax-deductibility: Monthly donations to Amnesty International Canada are tax-deductible, which means that you can receive a tax credit for your donations at the end of the year.

Overall, making a monthly donation to Amnesty International Canada is a great way to provide ongoing support for the organization’s important work in promoting and defending human rights. It is a convenient, sustainable, and impactful way to make a difference in the world.

Question: I received a phone call from Amnesty International Canada asking me to make a donation. It’s it legit?

It is always important to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited phone calls requesting donations, as there are unfortunately some fraudulent organizations that may try to take advantage of people’s generosity.

However, if you received a phone call from Amnesty International Canada requesting a donation, it is likely legitimate. Amnesty International is a well-established and respected international human rights organization with a presence in Canada and around the world.

If you have any doubts about the legitimacy of the call or the organization requesting a donation, you can ask for more information about the organization, including their registered charity number, and verify it with the Canada Revenue Agency. You can also contact Amnesty International Canada directly to confirm if the call was from them.

Overall, if you wish to support Amnesty International Canada’s work, it is always best to donate through their official website, by mail or by phone, rather than responding to unsolicited calls or emails from unknown sources.

Question: Someone knocked on my door claiming to represent Amnesty International Canada and asked me to make a donation. Its it legit?

It is always important to exercise caution when receiving unsolicited requests for donations, especially from people who come to your door claiming to represent an organization.

If someone has come to your door claiming to represent Amnesty International Canada, it is possible that they are a legitimate representative of the organization. However, it is also possible that they are a scammer or a fraudulent individual posing as a representative of Amnesty International Canada.

To verify the legitimacy of the person at your door, you can ask to see their identification or ask them to provide you with information about Amnesty International Canada, including their registered charity number. You can also contact Amnesty International Canada directly to confirm whether the person is an authorized representative of the organization.

It is important to note that Amnesty International Canada does not typically use door-to-door solicitation as a method of fundraising. Instead, they rely primarily on donations made through their official website, by phone, or by mail.

If you are uncomfortable with the person at your door or have any doubts about their legitimacy, it is best to decline their request for a donation and donate to Amnesty International Canada through their official channels.

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George Irish - Fundraising with AI
Fundraising with AI

Views and analysis on charity fundraising using Artificial Intelligence