Third Sector Podcast The latest AI developments that matter for the voluntary sector
Sep 5, 2025
Stuart Pearson, Head of Innovation at Citizens Advice Stockport, shares insights on developing Caddy, an AI chatbot designed to support charity advisors. Zoe Amar, founder of Zoe Amar Digital, highlights the skills gap hindering AI adoption in charities. They discuss the importance of human involvement in AI integration to enhance service delivery while maintaining trust. The conversation explores current AI trends and resources for charity professionals, emphasizing a thoughtful approach to technology that aligns with organizational values.
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Rapid Adoption With Leadership Skills Gap
- 76% of charities used AI in 2025, up from 61% in 2024, showing rapid sector uptake. Leadership and board AI skills lag behind, risking uneven and unsustainable adoption.
Caddy: Internal AI For Advisor Support
- Citizens Advice built Caddy, an internal AI chatbot, to answer advisors' questions using only trusted sources. Responses still get human validation from supervisors before use.
Start Small And Keep Humans In Loop
- Start AI projects by identifying a clear pain point and choosing non-client-facing use cases to reduce risk. Build human-in-the-loop checks so every AI output is validated by staff.