Written by London Automation cofounders Michael London and Brandon Danner
Artificial Intelligence transforms healthcare fundraising, but success isn’t just about plugging in the latest tool. Like raising a child, AI must be nurtured, trained, and refined over time to deliver the results you need. In grateful patient fundraising, the right approach to “raising AI” can mean the difference between generic predictions and truly actionable donor insights.
The Evolution of AI in Fundraising: More Than Just Language Models
People often think of AI as a brand-new phenomenon, but the truth is, experienced fundraising teams have been leveraging AI in various forms for years.
“We’ve been using AI for over a decade. You may say, ‘How do you do that when it just came out in 2018 with large language models?’ The answer is: we’ve been using Numeric Models for a long time.”
Brandon Danner
“There are various different types of artificial intelligence. There are numeric models which we’ve been using since the early 2000s, and then the language models which we’ve been using since about 2018 to 2019.”
Michael London
This long-term experience is a major advantage. It means the AI models powering your fundraising are not just new and flashy – they’re mature, tested, and continually improved. To fully unlock their potential, however, the quality of the data they rely upon becomes critical.
Good Data In, Good Data Out: The Importance of Quality and Experience
“Good information in, good information out. Bad information in, bad information out.”
Brandon Danner
The effectiveness of AI depends on the quality of the data you feed it. It’s not enough to have a powerful model; you need to know what data to leverage and how to refine the model’s purpose over time.
“AI is kind of like a child in that you must bring it up; you teach it what to do, and as it ages and matures and you put more information into it and refine its purpose, it understands better what you wanna do.”
Brandon Danner
London Automation’s years of experience mean that their AI models are “raised right” – trained on the right data, refined through real-world use, and constantly monitored for accuracy.
Avoiding AI’s Unintended Consequences
AI can be powerful, but it can also go off track if not properly managed. London Automation’s expertise ensures that the insights you receive are reliable, actionable, and free from the “hallucinations” or errors that can plague less experienced implementations.
“We’re very familiar with how to use these models, making sure that, most importantly, we’re not getting any sort of unintended consequences, like hallucinations. We’re making sure that what we’re getting is exactly what we’re expecting.”
Michael London
What Should AI Deliver for Healthcare Fundraisers?
At the end of the day, the goal of AI in grateful patient fundraising is simple: actionable intelligence.
“You want [AI] to tell you who your best potential donors are, give you information about them, and most importantly, give you your next-step actions with each of these individuals as well.”
Michael London
When AI is raised right – with the right data, experience, and oversight – it is a true partner in your fundraising strategy, surfacing the best prospects and guiding your next steps with confidence.
Practical Steps for Grateful Patient Fundraisers
- Choose Experienced Partners: Work with teams who have years of experience training and refining AI for fundraising.
- Feed AI Quality Data: Ensure your data is accurate, relevant, and continually updated for the best results.
- Monitor for Accuracy: Regularly review AI outputs to catch and correct any unintended consequences or errors.
- Focus on Actionable Insights: Use AI to identify top prospects and receive clear next-step recommendations for each donor.
Conclusion: Smarter Fundraising Starts with Raising AI Right
AI is already revolutionizing grateful patient fundraising, but only when it’s developed, trained, and managed with care. With the right experience and data, AI becomes a powerful ally, helping you find the best prospects, understand their motivations, and take the right actions at the right time.
