Opt In to Generative AI Features Globally

To use generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) features, your organization must enable them first in your Blackbaud environment. This can be done in any of the following ways:

  • Have an authorized user – such as an organization administrator – opt in to it

  • Join an AI Early Adopter Program (EAP)

  • Purchase an AI feature

Once enabled, the AI authorization applies to all of your Blackbaud products in your Blackbaud environment. This includes all current and future generative AI features. Learn about our Blackbaud AI Terms that apply to your access and use of AI.

If you don’t opt in, your organization remains opted out by default.

Tip: This setting applies only to generative AI features within Blackbaud products. It does not apply to Blackbaud services such as the Knowledgebase or the Blackbaud Support chat.

Training: Watch the Blackbaud AI Global Opt-In training video.

Enable Blackbaud AI

Organization admins need to enable generative AI features in Blackbaud AI from Admin. If you don’t opt in, your organization remains opted out by default.

Tip: Organization admins! To access Settings, Blackbaud AI, sign in to Blackbaud's website and select Admin from the solution menu on the left.

Enable access to generative AI features

  1. From Admin, select Settings, Blackbaud AI.

  2. Select Enable generative AI features. The opt-in takes effect immediately across all products.

When you enable generative AI features in your Blackbaud solutions, you are also enabling external connectors access to your data. External connectors provide a secure, universal way for partners and other 3rd parties to enhance your solutions with generative AI. The AI external connectors don't store your data, it requests access through the connectors when needed.

Generative AI models are powerful, but they don’t know your internal data by default. Without connectors, the AI can only give generic answers. With connectors, it can pull accurate, real-time information from your data bringing enhanced value to the generative AI features available in your Blackbaud product.

After you enable generative AI features, you can choose to disable only the external connectors portion. Blackbaud-built generative AI features will continue to work unless you disable all generative AI features.

Disable access to your data through external connectors only

  1. From Admin, Settings, select Blackbaud AI.

  2. Select Manage generative AI.

  3. Clear the Allow generative AI to access your data through external connectors checkbox.

  4. Select Save.

Disable access to generative AI features

If you don’t opt in, your organization remains opted out by default. 

However, if you previously opted in and now want to turn off global access to generative AI features for all of your Blackbaud products, you can disable it. When you opt out, the change takes effect immediately.

  1. From Admin, select Settings, Blackbaud AI.

  2. Select Manage generative AI.

  3. Select Disable generative AI features.

  4. Select Save.

Tip: Disabling generative AI features stops AI-driven processing, but it does not remove or delete existing data.

What is generative AI?

Opting in to generative AI features means you agree to enable tools that create content and insights tailored for social good workflows. By opting in, you allow Blackbaud’s Intelligence for Good® framework to assist with tasks like drafting donor communications, generating stewardship materials, and providing actionable recommendations. These features are designed to save time, improve personalization, and operate under strict governance standards to ensure responsible and secure use of AI.

Tip: Enabling or disabling generative AI doesn't affect other AI or machine learning features – such as recommendations, predictions, and similar capabilities – already available in your Blackbaud solutions.

How do I restrict access to AI features per product or per user?

Enabling generative AI globally does not limit your ability to control access at the product or user level.

For example, solution administrators can assign roles to determine who can use Blackbaud AI features.

Create an artificial intelligence role and assign it to a user

  1. From Security, select Role management.

  2. Under Artificial intelligence roles, select New.

  3. Enter a role name and description.

  4. Select the task permissions for this role.

  5. Select Save.

  6. Navigate back to Security and select User management.

  7. Select the user's name you want to assign the new artificial intelligence role.

  8. Select Manage roles.

  9. From Artificial intelligence, select the new role from the dropdown.

  10. Select Save.