AI is exploding in popularity, and associations use various new tools daily to engage their members. Salesforce is at the forefront of AI integration and advancement across many industries and sectors. As part of this effort, Salesforce is setting an example for responsible AI use, keeping humans in control, narrowing the AI trust gap, and elevating the importance of data privacy and security.
With the help of AI and robust association management platforms, associations stand to enhance their missions and take member engagement efforts a step further. In this guide, we’ll explore key considerations for associations, including:
- AI for Associations: The Basics
- 7 Ways to Use AI for Associations
- Overcoming Common AI Adoption Challenges
- Using AI Responsibly
Let’s get started by highlighting how associations are using Generative AI and other tools to improve member experiences, optimize productivity and efficiency, streamline events, and more.
AI for Associations: The Basics
What is AI for associations?
AI, or artificial intelligence, is a broad field of computer science that involves using machine learning to analyze patterns in data and generate content. AI for associations involves the use of AI technology to oversee and enhance daily operations, membership management, marketing and communications, and data-driven decision-making.
While AI has existed since 1956, the recent boom of generative AI tools is empowering more businesses and organizations to incorporate AI into their daily workflows. Additionally, many software providers are looking for opportunities to infuse AI into their products.
What are the benefits of using AI for associations?
AI technology offers tangible, strategic benefits to associations, such as:
- Proactively preventing member churn. AI can analyze your existing member data to identify trends in lapsed members’ behavior. By flagging these “at-risk” members early on, you can deploy targeted reengagement campaigns to prevent churn.
- Simplifying data-driven decision-making. In addition to analyzing your data for patterns you might otherwise miss, AI can simulate the impact of major decisions (e.g., changing your dues structure). This way, you can estimate the outcome before actually implementing large-scale changes.
- Boosting efficiency and automation. AI can automate tasks that are necessary yet time-consuming, like answering routine member questions, summarizing meetings, or coming up with content ideas. This gives your team more time and energy to devote to creative or strategic activities.
- Enabling personalized member experiences. Increase member engagement and retention with advanced, AI-powered personalization. For example, you might provide tailored recommendations or dynamic content in your member portal.
- Identifying opportunities for non-dues revenue. Membership growth peaked in 2023 with nearly 50% of associations reporting increased member counts, but the following years have shown a slight decline in growth. AI can help you identify viable non-dues revenue opportunities to stabilize your finances in light of membership uncertainty.
Can your association trust AI?
AI technology is a controversial topic, and for good reason. The choice to use AI should be made with care, and if you decide to use AI, there are ethical standards your association should put in place—we’ll discuss these considerations later in this guide.
However, using AI for associations can be safe, trustworthy, and valuable. Here’s what the CEO of Salesforce, Marc Benioff, had to say at Salesforce’s 2023 AI Day:
“Every transaction and every conversation that Salesforce [has] begins and ends with the word ‘trust.’ Because we’re now on a societal AI journey, there is going to be a lot about responsibility in this technology. Responsible AI use is so critical.”
Salesforce continues to demonstrate a commitment to AI. Since 2018, the company has invested in many Large Language Models (LLMs) that power AI tools. In 2025, Salesforce demonstrated its major commitment to AI by focusing on the development of its autonomous AI agents, known as Agentforce, and investing billions to support AI development. With more than 200 patents related to AI, it’s clear that Salesforce’s Einstein tool was just the beginning of its AI journey.
7 Ways for Associations to Use AI
1. Marketing Materials
AI design tools like Adobe Firefly and Midjourney aren’t traditional stock photo sites. Rather, they allow associations to generate custom images and graphics that align with specific needs or marketing initiatives. Staff can enter text prompts to produce high-quality, branded assets without needing graphic design expertise. This reduces the cost of outsourcing creative work, speeds up the production of marketing materials, and keeps your visual messaging fresh and relevant.
2. Conferences and Events
AI-powered event management software can help you dig deep into attendee behavior by analyzing patterns in session attendance, post-event survey sentiment, and more. Rather than relying on guesswork, you can use these insights to predict which topics will drive the most registrations.
Additionally, AI can provide members with tailored communications and recommendations (e.g., a tailored conference agenda based on their past interests). This level of personalization transforms your conferences into a curated experience, making members feel like your events were designed with them in mind.
3. Member Feedback
Large Language Models (LLMs) like Anthropic’s Claude or Google’s Gemini can process large volumes of unstructured qualitative data (think open-ended survey responses or forum discussions). These tools can categorize thousands of comments to identify common feedback topics, such as frustration points.
AI provides an accurate summary of members’ feedback, helping associations pivot their strategies and provide personalized attention that boosts retention rates.
4. Chatbots & AI Agents
Traditional chatbots can handle basic tasks and questions, but the next generation of AI—exemplified by Salesforce’s Agentforce—moves beyond scripted responses to autonomous problem-solving.
Agentforce offers autonomous, intelligent agents that can understand complex and nuanced requests, allowing them to independently perform tasks like updating member records or processing renewals. Advanced agents like these ensure members receive instant, round-the-clock conversational assistance, freeing up staff to focus on high-touch relationship building.
5. Content Curation
AI content curation tools analyze data like member engagement history, committee participation, and preferences to build personalized feeds. Rather than sending a generic newsletter, these systems can develop unique digests for each member. For example, automated segmentation can ensure early-career professionals see different resources than executives, significantly increasing membership value and engagement with your content.
6. Content Creation & Thought Leadership
AI writing assistants streamline content creation by generating comprehensive outlines, clever headlines, or content topic ideas from simple text prompts. This allows associations to scale their thought leadership output and consistently publish high-quality, authoritative content. By maintaining a steady stream of content on your area of expertise, your organization can deepen trust, attract new members, and strengthen its reputation as a key voice in the industry.
7. Advanced Data Analytics
Beyond standard reporting, AI-powered analytics can scour historical data to identify patterns and predict future outcomes, such as which members are at the highest risk of churning. In this scenario, you might leverage these tools to calculate a score (e.g., an engagement score or churn risk level) for each member and prompt your team to intervene before a member decides to leave.
Predictive modeling can also help you forecast revenue trends and even suggest ideal next actions, turning your raw data into a strategic roadmap for growth.
Overcoming Common AI Adoption Challenges
While AI adoption is growing across many industries, some organizations are facing implementation challenges. A study by the Association Societies Alliance found that most associations don’t feel that their approach to AI implementation is well-organized regarding AI, with 37% indicating that they have no implementation plan to streamline the process at all.
Additionally, a broader study from IBM pinpointed the top AI adoption challenges across all industries. Here’s what we recommend for each of these hurdles:
- Concerns about data accuracy or bias. Implement a human review step in any AI processes. For instance, you may require staff to revise and fact-check AI-generated content. Additionally, train your tools to follow internal standards and preferences.
- Lack of adequate data to customize models. Start small by optimizing existing data sources for the AI reader. Generally, AI-friendly writing follows standard writing best practices, such as using semantic HTML, descriptive headings, short paragraphs, bullet points, and simple layouts. For datasets, aim to keep them clean and comprehensive.
- Limited generative AI expertise. Again, start with small, simple tools that you can use with little training. Activate AI features that are already included in your tech stack. For example, Salesforce offers AI tools embedded in your CRM. Provide prompt engineering training to help staff use these tools more effectively.
- Cannot financially justify AI adoption. Try to make the case for a low-cost pilot that’s focused on streamlining a few time-consuming administrative tasks. Be sure to track the time you save by using AI to calculate these tools’ cost-savings ROI.
- Concerns about privacy and data security. Rather than using free plans, purchase enterprise-tier licenses that explicitly state that your data will not be used to train the tool’s models. Create a detailed AI usage policy that categorizes what data is safe to share and what should never be entered into AI tools.
Using AI Responsibly
As Marc Benioff explained, trust is a top priority at Salesforce. Benioff acknowledges the “AI trust gap” that exists between the need for an AI strategy and the distrust customers have for companies using their data. This is why it’s so important to use AI responsibly.
The trust gap can arise from issues like:
- Data privacy
- Hallucinations, or situations in which AI conceptualizes or presents false information
- Data control
- Bias
- Data toxicity or poisoning, in which an AI data training model is tampered with
Salesforce has already taken steps to avoid some of these issues. Patrick Stokes, Salesforce’s EVP for Product and Industries Marketing, explains that once a user enters a prompt containing your data, Salesforce will simply erase the prompt rather than store it.
Employing Salesforce AI tools is a great way to protect your data and ensure ethical AI usage. Your association should also create its own AI policies that address factors like your risk tolerance, protecting proprietary information, human fact-checking, and bias in data.
Wrapping Up
The future holds endless possibilities as society harnesses the power of AI. The companies developing these tools must balance their potential with a dedication to the responsible, ethical use of AI. To learn more about elevating your association’s strategy with technology, check out our other resources:
- Salesforce for Associations: A Comprehensive Guide. Want to know more about Salesforce solutions designed for associations? Get a comprehensive overview here.
- The Best Membership Management Software Options for 2025. Learn what to look for in a membership management tool and get our top recommendations.
- Inspire Enthusiasm Through Member Engagement: The Full Guide. Using insights and predictions from AI tools, engage your members with these innovative strategies.
