How interesting is the notion that a chatbot answering routine questions, a robot packing meals at a food bank, or AI software helping to identify potential donors could give back the time humans need to advance innovation and pursue new ideas. The authors deftly make this point, encouraging the reader to consider the many ways in which smart tech is or isn’t being used—and how it could be used—in their work environments.
The idea of smart tech implementation doesn’t come without potential pitfalls, however. Kanter and Fine caution users to be careful of some uses of automation technologies that could be problematic. Automation takes the power of decision making and turns it over to machines, and while it can make getting what we want easier, they note, it also can distance us from doing the work of knowing about the subject in a deeper context. While machines are, in themselves, incapable of being racist, sexist, biased, or unfair, human beings can be, and those prejudices can be programmed into the smart tech systems others are using. Importantly, the existence of this “embedded bias” is not easy to identify and even harder to undo. Programmers make choices that we, the public, cannot see, allowing automation to make decisions for us based on biases that we would not accept. The fact that it must be up to the organization to test out its tech to avoid mistakes is vital to consider, and Kanter and Fine are right to bring the issue to light.
Careful use of smart tech emerges as a central pillar in the authors’ exploration of the smart nonprofit. They also caution nonprofit leaders against perceiving smart tech as a technical problem that the IT department must solve; on the contrary, leaders should be leading the changes smart tech can make. Smart tech is only one strategy in rethinking organizational structure. A significant piece of the implementation process is putting humans first and understanding that machines and people can and should work together.
In addition, the authors discuss in depth the importance of the ethical and responsible use of smart tech and the variables at play in reducing potential harm—for example, rooting out embedded bias, paying attention to digital privacy, being aware of tools bad actors use such as surveillance capitalism and reputational capital, and creating ethical standards—and the overall responsibility of governance over these facets of smart tech use. The authors share their keen emphasis on not waiting for something bad to happen before looking for warning signs of potential harm. The book raises numerous questions about where nonprofits should draw the line with information gathering to reach their goals.
Kanter and Fine further illustrate how one of the most important considerations for nonprofits using smart tech is to ensure that the technology supports the delivery of services. Nonprofits using smart tech should aim to serve and support people, expand capacity to provide services and raise awareness, and ensure access to all people. For example, if smart tech helps fundraising staff avoid repetitive tasks and spend more time building relationships, philanthropists can gain insights to give more strategically. In this way, smart tech can be used for its very best purpose, and nonprofits would do well to weigh the pros and cons of implementation.
The authors believe that smart nonprofits are capitalizing on and leaning into the impact of automation by being curious, open, thoughtful, careful, and engaged enough to harness its power, because today’s world is complex and problem solving means shifting to different solutions. Smart tech allows nonprofits to save time, support wiser and better leadership, and transform not into automatons but human-centered, well-prepared, knowledgeable, and reflective organizations that could set the standard for how work for social good is done.
Kanter and Fine have presented us with a stellar comprehensive guide for furthering nonprofits’ forward momentum. They lay out the pros and cons of planning for a smarter future, show the balance needed to integrate humanity and technology, and provide a structured plan for implementing the transformation needed as our world becomes increasingly automated. Their expert perspectives are poignant, timely, and essential.
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Article by Lauren Brathwaite - content editor of Philanthropy News Digest - https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/features/book-reviews/the-smart-nonprofit-staying-human-centered-in-an-automated-world