From a distance, you might be fooled into thinking a department store mannequin is a flesh-and-blood human. The size is about right, the figure proportionate, the silhouette convincing.
But, only from a distance.
Get within just a few feet of the mannequin and you can easily tell that it is a lifeless pattern meant to represent a human form. Great for selling clothes maybe, but without much interest otherwise.
Artificial intelligence (at least in its current consumable iteration) reminds me of a department store mannequin.
During a team meeting with a client recently, a proposed stewardship letter was read aloud. People were asked if they thought the letter was generated by A.I., or by a team member. Everyone in the meeting guessed correctly. It was A.I. generated.
When asked how everyone knew it wasn’t written by a team member, people couldn’t necessarily pinpoint how they knew, they just gave answers like, “it didn’t sound like us,” or, “it didn’t have heart.”
From a distance, an A.I. generated advancement letter might pass as useful. It will look like an acceptable letter. It will include words and phrases that so-called smart advancement people might say. Phrases like “meaningful gift,” and, “generous donors,” and, “heartfelt gratitude.”
When people actually read the letter more closely, though, it won’t feel quite right. Something important will be missing.
My twenty-year-old daughter (and I feel certain most younger adults) is a walking, sensing radar for artificially-created content. She can sense content authenticity almost immediately.
I, on the other hand, still think the green-screened scenes in the 1993 movie, Jurassic Park, are believable.
Clearly, artificially-created content will become more human-like as it evolves over time. Today, A.I. can capably and within seconds string together the so-called right words and phrases for an advancement letter. That’s impressive. I’m sure tomorrow’s technology will be even more impressive.
But, just as my daughter’s age group proves, humans will also grow in our sensitivity to artificially-created content.
Whether today or tomorrow, our very best advancement work will continue to be done with heart. With soul. With voice. With perspective. With care. With love. With human authenticity.
Effective advancement communications has never been about using the right words or phrases. Effective advancement communications is about what we communicate in between our words and phrases.
Because no matter how amazing the A.I. developments of the future might be, when humans look close enough, we will always be able to spot the mannequin.
