Many of us would love to turn our AI experience into a career, but then we run into the big question: “How?”
Volunteering is one avenue of approach to eventually getting paid for your AI abilities. By volunteering in positions that use your AI skills, you will be able to gain experience, network with people who need your help, and be a force of positive change in the world.
Today we’re going to look at three websites where you can find volunteering opportunities and look at a real opportunity from each one.
VolunteerMatch allows you to look for both In-Person and Virtual opportunities. A search for virtual opportunities with the keyword of “artificial intelligence” gives 92 results.
AI Research and Integration Specialist Needpedia
“We need someone willing to put in the time to look for new tools that could benefit us, test them out, then help us implement them. The person in this role is to independently seek out new and useful AI technologies, experiment with them, then let Needpedia's organizers know which ones worked best, and provide instructions for others to start using it.”
What I find interesting about this position is it’s what many of us AI enthusiasts do already, just a little more focused: find and try out new AIs. Once you figure out which AI best fits Needpedia’s goal, you help them start implementing it.
I think this is an opportunity nearly everyone in the AI community can do, so long as they have some extra time.
Catchfire has two different types of volunteer opportunities: 1 hour phone calls, and 5-50 hour projects. There are not as many search results for “artificial intelligence” but the option to do 1 hour consultations makes this website a go-to for those with limited time.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Training Love 2 Read, Inc.
“What we need: Customized AI Training session(s) for up to 5 people over the course of 1-2 days; Document summarizing what was covered in training session; Sample topics may include: How to use ChatGPT or other LLMs, relevant applications to use AI, AI in Notion or other project management tools, how to create no code AI solutions”
If you are looking to teach in the AI space, this is a great opportunity. Not only would you be teaching people AI/LLM basics, but you will be working with an organization that itself is education focused.
If you are considering creating basic AI/LLM courses, this may also be a good opportunity to try out your skills
Our last website doesn’t just have volunteer opportunities: it also features non-profit jobs, internships, organizations, and grad programs. A search for remote volunteer opportunities with the keywords “artificial intelligence” has 115 results. Many of these result are from similar sites.
“With a focus on empowerment, excellence, and innovation, AI for Girls' Enterprise is dedicated to sparking a passion for artificial intelligence amongst girls from middle to early high school years. Our multi-faceted programs, engaging workshops, and nurturing mentorship are designed not just to teach, but to inspire, presenting the tech industry not as a challenge, but an opportunity.”
Current Opportunities: Workshop Volunteer for Middle Schoolers, Community Outreach Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator
This time we’re looking at an organization instead of a single volunteer opportunity.
AI for Girls’ Enterprise Foundation is an example of an organization with an AI focus. While that doesn’t necessarily mean its volunteers will be teaching or using AI, it does allow you to make a positive difference within the AI space while possible networking with other AI-interested people.
Conclusion
I hope this article helps you consider volunteering as part of or in addition to your AI career plans. There are a surprising number of opportunities out there – non-profits need help working AI into their organizations too!
If you do end up volunteering, please post about it! Not only could your experience inspire others to volunteer, but it acts as good positive news in what can sometimes be a dreary social media feed.
Have you made use of your AI skills in a volunteer opportunity? Tell us about it in the comments!
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