By Jamin Clubb, Director of Client Technology Services at Association Headquarters
“AI-powered” has quickly become shorthand for innovation. For many association leaders, distinguishing true value from hype can be challenging, and that uncertainty has created space for questionable sales practices to thrive.
The AI Hype Surge: Flashy Demos, Big Promises
This year’s ASAE expo floor felt like a showcase of all things AI. Dozens of booths featured sleek visuals, enthusiastic sales teams, and live demos designed to impress. Nearly every vendor promised transformational results: content that writes itself, engagement that scales, insights previously out of reach. Efficiency and ease were the dominant themes.
In the moment, it’s easy to get swept up in the energy. But behind the banners and pitch decks, many of these offerings aren’t as unique as they appear.
The truth? Some vendors are capitalizing on a widespread lack of AI understanding within the association space. What’s positioned as breakthrough innovation often turns out to be a standard tool wrapped in minimal customization but delivered at a premium price.
Many of these platforms rely on the same large language models (LLMs) already available to the public, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, or Anthropic’s Claude. Often, what’s added is a simple user interface, some preloaded prompts tailored to the sector, and a new logo. At their core, these tools use the same public APIs anyone can access, with no substantial proprietary development.
For associations without foundational AI knowledge, it can be difficult to recognize this. The result is often high spend on solutions that could be piloted internally at a much lower cost, leaving organizations overcommitted and underwhelmed.
How Vendors Capitalize on the AI Literacy Gap
Associations are especially susceptible to these sales tactics for a few key reasons:
- Limited Internal Tech Capacity: Lean technology teams often rely on external support, creating a dependency on vendor insights.
- Urgency to Keep Up: Pressure to “adopt AI now” can lead to rushed decisions.
- Jargon Overload: The technical language used in AI marketing can make it difficult for non-technical leaders to evaluate offerings critically.
This combination creates a vulnerable environment, one where inflated claims can more easily take hold.
The Real Costs of Overreliance
Relying on AI tools that don’t deliver real value can come with lasting consequences:
- Paying More for Off-the-Shelf Tools: What may appear to be a custom solution can often be replicated with public tools and a little experimentation. The markup is often substantial.
- Vendor Lock-In Without True Value: If a product adds no functionality beyond what is already publicly accessible, organizations risk becoming tied to services they don’t need.
- Data Privacy Concerns: Routing member data through third-party platforms without proper oversight introduces serious compliance and privacy risks.
- Missed Opportunities for Internal Learning: Each outsourced project is a missed chance to grow internal skills and confidence, ultimately deepening dependence on outside providers.
Building AI Literacy: A Better Path Forward
The best defense against exploitative AI practices is a strong, shared foundation of knowledge across the organization.
Invest in Education
Make space for staff and leadership to learn together. These trusted resources are a helpful starting point:
- AI for Everyone (Coursera)
- Stanford’s AI Literacy Materials
- ASAE’s Webinars and Workshops
With shared understanding, leadership teams are better equipped to ask the right questions and make informed decisions.
Start with Internal Pilots
Low-risk internal projects can help teams explore possibilities and build hands-on experience. Consider tasks such as:
- Drafting initial versions of social posts
- Summarizing board packets or reports
- Testing subject lines for renewal emails
- Generating structured meeting notes
Many tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude, offer free or low-cost access for this type of exploration.
Align Spending with Strategy
All AI investments should support the organization’s strategic goals. If a tool or service doesn’t advance your mission or address a specific challenge, it may be worth pausing.
A Practical Checklist for AI Vendor Conversations
When evaluating a vendor, these five questions can help clarify value and risk:
- What large language model powers your product?
- What part of your platform is truly proprietary?
- Is this something we could replicate with internal tools?
- How do you handle data privacy and compliance?
- What happens if your pricing or terms change?
A vendor’s reluctance to clearly address these questions should be a red flag.
The Bottom Line: Build Confidence Before You Buy
AI offers real potential for associations, but that potential is best realized through informed, deliberate action, not urgency or assumption.
Organizations that invest in internal understanding, ask thoughtful questions, and take time to explore the tools themselves will be in the best position to adopt AI in ways that are sustainable, strategic, and aligned with their mission.
Strong AI literacy isn’t just a defense; it’s a competitive advantage.
Your members and your mission deserve that level of clarity.
This is the first article in a series designed to help associations and nonprofits better understand and apply AI. Stay tuned for the next installment.
Ready to explore how AI can strengthen your association?
Email us to learn how we can help develop a strategy that puts AI to work in service of your mission.
