Everyone’s talking about AI. Your board is asking about it. Your team is experimenting with it. And if you’re being honest, you might still be figuring out where it fits.
One of the biggest barriers right now is simply the number of options. AI can feel overwhelming, which often keeps people from getting started. The goal of this article is to make AI feel more approachable. Once you start using it in small ways, your confidence will build quickly.
Here are three practical ways to get started.
Tip 1: Begin with lower stakes
The best way to learn is to take the pressure off, allowing you to experiment in everyday situations where you are free to make mistakes.
For example:
- “I want to discover new sci-fi movies. I loved Interstellar, Arrival, and Dune. Recommend five films and explain why I’d like them.”
- “Plan a four-day trip to Denver with a mix of outdoor activities and good restaurants.”
- “Create a week of dinners using chicken, rice, and vegetables I already have on hand.”
Quick note: A helpful structure when you’re starting is:
- What you want (goal)
- What your AI interface (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) should know (context)
- What your interface should do (task)
- What the output should look like (format)
You don’t have to get it perfect. You’ll improve just by doing it.
Tip 2: Turn meeting notes into action
A simple, high-impact use is creating meeting summaries.
Instead of re-reading notes, drop a transcript into AI and ask:
- “Summarize this meeting. Include key decisions, action items with owners, and next steps.”
Within seconds, you’ll have a clear, organized summary. No more digging through notes to figure out who’s doing what. It’s a small shift that can save time and improve follow-through across your team.
Tip 3: Build more personalized donor stewardship plans
Donor stewardship is critical and often time-consuming. AI can help you draft more thoughtful, individualized plans using the information you already have.
Quick note: When working with donor data, be sure you’re using a platform that keeps your information private and does not use it to train its model.
For example:
- “Here’s a list of major donors with giving history and interests. Suggest personalized stewardship touchpoints over the next 12 months. Include timing, type of outreach, and why it fits each donor.”
- “Draft a follow-up email after a donor meeting that references their interest in student success and recent campaign priorities.”
AI gives you a strong starting point, so you can spend your time refining and personalizing rather than starting from scratch.
A final thought
AI works best as a partner, not a replacement. It helps you move faster and see patterns more clearly, but your judgment and relationships are still what matter most.
The goal isn’t to master everything overnight. It’s to start small and build comfort over time.
If you’re thinking about how this could fit into your work, we’d be glad to talk it through with you. At JGA, we’re exploring this alongside our partners every day and sharing what’s proving to be useful.
