How GoFundMe Is Using AI To Help People Ask For Help And Raise More Money

One of the hardest things an AI system can help us write is a message admitting we need help.

That is the challenge at the heart of GoFundMe’s approach to artificial intelligence. Someone facing a family crisis, funeral expenses or a flooded business suddenly has to become a storyteller and a fundraiser. Often, they have to do it on one of the worst days of their life.

When I spoke with GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan, what struck me was how clearly the company had identified the human problem behind the technology opportunity. “In order for help to occur, someone has to ask,” he told me. “That is the critical step.”

GoFundMe’s community has raised more than $50 billion for people and nonprofits. Its AI strategy draws on that experience to help organizers take the first step and keep going. For enterprise leaders, that strategy offers a clear example of connecting AI to the reason a business exists.

A Coach For A Difficult Moment

Cadogan says fundraising demands two kinds of work. The practical work involves writing a story, choosing a title, setting a target goal and keeping supporters updated. The emotional work involves overcoming the fear of being judged or of asking too much of friends.

A blank text box does very little for someone struggling with all of that. GoFundMe’s smart fundraising coach turns the process into a conversation. It helps organizers develop their story and title, then work toward a realistic fundraising goal. Once the page is live, it guides them through the actions that build momentum.

The underlying advantage is GoFundMe’s accumulated fundraising knowledge. Cadogan explained that the coach draws on patterns from tens of millions of past campaigns to guide organizers who might be new to fundraising. For a business adopting AI, that is a reminder to look first at the expertise already inside the organization.