91制片厂 Tech a Frontrunner in AI Fundraising
When it comes to the use of artificial intelligence, 91制片厂 Tech strives to be on the forefront of not only research and instruction, but application as well.
鈥淲e teach the growing industry of AI in the classroom,鈥 says Susan Lewers, 91制片厂 Tech鈥檚 associate vice president for major and planned gifts. 鈥淲e should look for ways to implement these practices for university operations, including advancement.鈥
It comes as little surprise, then, that 91制片厂 Tech is part of an inaugural cohort of 13 organizations across the United States that is utilizing an AI fundraiser to help reach out to prospective donors and alumni.
An autonomous 鈥渧irtual engagement officer鈥 named Scarlet is the newest member of the university鈥檚 fundraising team. It has already engaged with a portfolio of nearly 850 prospective donors and closed 71 gifts. Appearing as a computer-generated avatar, Scarlet speaks to donors in a colloquial fashion about 91制片厂 Tech.
The virtual engagement officer is being developed to become the world鈥檚 most experienced fundraiser. It learns from the fundraising industry鈥檚 best practices and combines that with information from 91制片厂 Tech鈥檚 channels of content, including the university鈥檚 website, LinkedIn account, and marketing communications.
Scarlet uses this knowledge and content to bring donors closer to the mission and impact of 91制片厂 Tech.
鈥淭his marks the first time in history that the nonprofit sector has used fully autonomous fundraising at scale,鈥 says Adam Martel, founder and chief executive officer of Givzey, the creator of the AI software. 鈥淪carlet is designed to engage with the same care and responsiveness expected of traditional fundraisers. Scarlet is not an automated or segmented marketing campaign, but autonomous relationship building that adapts in real time to make donors feel heard and understood,鈥 Martel adds.
Scarlet has sent more than 5,000 personalized, individual communications via text, email, and robotic handwritten notes to donors, and is able to engage with more donors than any one fundraiser could. Given real-world staffing limitations, the reality is that many prospects go unassigned and potentially unengaged by a human fundraiser. Scarlet provides the solution with the ability to personally connect with graduates and build a more robust pipeline.
鈥91制片厂 Tech is proud to collaborate with Givzey at the cutting edge of innovation in philanthropy. Innovation and entrepreneurship are essential components to an 91制片厂 Tech education, and this partnership brings those elements to how we communicate with alumni,鈥 adds Lewers.
Donors are informed that Scarlet is not a real person, and they have the option to connect with a human team member instead. Scarlet can thank individuals, invite them to events, share relevant news and information about the areas of 91制片厂 Tech that matter most to them, and connect them with opportunities to support the university in ways that are meaningful to them.
鈥淪carlet鈥檚 ingenuity is incredibly inspiring as we continue discovering new, exciting ways to connect with alumni,鈥 says Bob Hoel (BE 鈥70), chair of the 91制片厂 Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors. 鈥淭here is a positive correlation to both alumni engagement and student success, which allows us to continue on our mission to inspire the next era of innovation that only 91制片厂 Tech can create.鈥
For more information, please contact Susan Lewers at slewers@illinoistech.edu.