The Charity Commission has received more than 1,000 applications for charitable status in a single month for the first time, with officials attributing part of the surge to applicants turning to artificial intelligence tools to complete forms.
Stuart Wood, the Commission’s head of registration, said AI is helping more organisations attempt the process but warned that many applications are being rejected. “AI-generated content tends to be overly generic, often failing to capture the specific aims or activities of organisations,” he noted.
Applications for charity status have been rising steadily since the pandemic, driven by financial hardship, community interest companies converting to charities, and responses to global conflicts and disasters. The Commission processed more than 9,000 applications in 2023–24, rising to nearly 9,840 last year. Between April and June this year, 1,101 charities were registered—though a similar number were removed from the register, highlighting the sector’s ongoing fluidity.
The wider sector is also adopting AI at pace. A Charity Digital Skills report found that more than three-quarters of charities are using AI in some form. Yet many appear ill-prepared to manage it responsibly. A Charity Excellence survey showed 60 per cent feel “extremely unprepared” on AI policies and procedures, while more than half lack the capacity to manage risks such as cyber security and data protection.
The Commission itself is exploring how AI might streamline registration. With new government funding due from April 2026, officials are reviewing how AI tools could support their services. Chief executive David Holdsworth has cautioned, however, that detecting AI-generated applications is becoming harder, and stressed the importance of protecting the integrity of the registration process.
In parallel, a new “charity AI task force” has been convened by the Centre for the Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST) and Zoe Amar Digital to guide charities in adopting AI responsibly. The group will provide practical support similar to that offered to SMEs through the government’s digital adoption taskforce.
The developments reflect a sector in transition—keen to harness the benefits of AI but grappling with governance and trust. As Wood observed: “The charity sector isn’t standing still, and neither are we.”
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