Harnessing AI for Better Governance in Member Organizations

Table of Contents: 

• 5 Examples of Artificial Intelligence for Member Organizations
• 3 Helpful Use Cases for AI in Governance
• Challenges & Considerations of using AI for Governance
• Future Trends
• Extend the Benefits of AI With Digital Voting Systems

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming everything from traffic lights to fast food orders. AI tools have proliferated since ChatGPT’s release in 2022, and every industry wants a piece of this time-saving technology.

In fact, many member organizations like clubs, unions, associations, and cooperatives are looking at AI as a solution to friction in governance. Board members are under increasing pressure to get results, and AI’s decision-making support could be exactly what these organizations need.

More organizations are leaning on AI tools to shape their operations. While this comes with new questions and challenges, it promises to improve member engagement and help associations make the most of limited resources. In this guide, we’ll share examples of AI applications for governance and three use cases for AI in decision-making.

5 Examples of Artificial Intelligence for Member Organizations

1. In the Boardroom

Board members keep organizations moving but often have difficult, thankless jobs. AI-powered governance tools help board members run more efficiently, making better decisions that serve the association. For example, AI tools can analyze large datasets in just minutes and provide insights that guide data-driven decisions. Predictive analytics forecast trends and outcomes, helping boards plan more strategically for the future.

On a practical level, AI tools also simplify board meetings. They transcribe notes and produce detailed minutes, removing the burden of note-taking. The key is to double-check that the AI tool transcribes correctly and organizes notes clearly.

2. Nominations

Talent gaps cause tremendous bottlenecks; in some industries, they’re even a liability. AI makes it much easier for boards to evaluate the current skills of their directors and members to spot talent gaps. Knowing which skills are most in demand makes it much easier for the board to actively recruit members with those skills.

AI tools are also great at fixing inefficiencies in the nomination process. Use AI tools to review your nominating procedures, asking them to identify areas to modernize or improve.

3. Communications Strategies

Do you have dozens of member surveys to sift through? AI is a helpful tool for communicating with members. More member organizations are using AI to conduct sentiment analysis, which gauges members’ overall feelings toward the organization. This approach saves hours of time and helps teams get to the heart of member feedback.

Member organizations are also using AI-powered tools for both internal and external communication. Website chatbots and automated member emails are just a few ways organizations save time communicating with AI.

4. Security

Cloud breaches have increased by 75% since 2023. Cyber threats harm your members’ security and undermine your organization’s mission. It’s no surprise that more member organizations are using AI cybersecurity tools for threat detection. These tools, called data loss protection (DLP) solutions, protect member data by responding to threats in real time. A DLP also ensures your employees follow pre-set data protection guidelines, making it less likely that your team will accidentally leak sensitive data.

5. Member Recruitment and Retention

Regardless of your mission, member engagement is a must. Engagement is no small feat, which is why so many member organizations use AI tools to enhance their community-building efforts.

For example, some member organizations use predictive analytics to help with recruitment. These tools predict which potential members are most likely to join based on their online activity and engagement patterns, helping your outreach team prioritize their efforts.

AI also streamlines member engagement. Some AI tools can create personalized engagement plans for new members based on their survey responses. The tool recommends activities, resources, and connections that align with their interests so members immediately see value in joining. Some member organizations use AI to analyze data to identify underrepresented groups. From there, organizations can create tailored outreach campaigns to engage with these groups so they have a voice.

3 Helpful Use Cases for AI in Governance

Artificial intelligence isn’t overtaking human intelligence. It’s simply a helpful sidekick that speeds up tedious tasks. Whether you want to save time or just need fresh ideas, try these three use cases to improve organizational governance with AI.

Overhaul Marketing

Tools like ChatGPT can help member organizations quickly create content for newsletters, blogs, social media, and more. Master the art of prompting AI tools to generate high-quality marketing content that fits your organization’s voice and style.

AI is notorious for making up or exaggerating details that could give your audience a completely different idea of what you offer. Always review the content to make sure it’s correct. Better yet, have a human subject matter expert (SME) review the content before publishing. They can point out any potential flaws in the output and even help your team prompt more accurate responses from AI in the future.

But AI can do much more than that. You can even use AI-driven analytics to personalize member interactions, which could help with engagement and retention. In fact, sixty-nine percent of consumers appreciate personalization. The right tools can suggest content ideas for each audience segment, automatically segment your email list by interest group, or generate tantalizing promotions.

Of course, it’s a double-edged sword when you use member data in this way. Bias and privacy are real concerns, so set guardrails for using AI in your organization. With written guidelines in place, your team can ethically use this technology without infringing on members’ rights.

Improving the Member Experience

Member experience is everything. The better experience members have, the more likely they are to stay with the organization and promote it to their networks.

Leverage AI-powered automation to personalize member experiences. For example, an automated, AI-powered chatbot would be a welcome addition to any member portal. This allows members to ask more complex questions like, “When is the next election?” or “Where do I find resources?” Not only does this give members the immediate response they expect, but it also cuts down on the number of queries processed by your staff.

Boosting Productivity

Red tape and bureaucracy often get in the way of progress. While there’s no getting around bylaws, AI can streamline tasks and workflows so organizations can move as quickly as possible. For example, shifting to AI-powered task management tools holds everyone on your team accountable and reduces administrative burden.

AI can also analyze your organizational structure and processes to suggest optimizations. It analyzes resource allocation, like time and budgets, to suggest time-saving alternatives. In some cases, AI suggestions are just as helpful as hiring a consultant, giving you the benefit of professional guidance on a shoestring budget.

Challenges & Considerations of Using AI for Governance

There are so many benefits to using AI in governance, but it also presents several challenges. These aren’t deal-breakers, but organizations need strategies to work through these issues before embracing AI.

Consider Ethics and Legalities

Nearly 40% of “facts” generated by AI contain bias. AI might seem like an impartial observer, but it relies on the accuracy and fairness of its data inputs to create actionable outcomes. You risk perpetuating bias if your organization’s data isn’t up to par.

Unintentional biases create a poor member experience and, in some cases, could put your organization at risk of legal action. Work with AI experts and data scientists to ensure your data is as free of bias as possible. Creating internal AI usage guidelines will also help employees use AI fairly and legally.

Integrating AI With Your Current Systems

It’s worth noting that many organizations are already using AI without even realizing it. Everyday tools like autocorrect in emails, recommendation engines on eCommerce sites, and even basic customer service chatbots are all powered by AI. These technologies might seem simple, but they demonstrate how AI can seamlessly integrate into existing workflows, improving efficiency and experience without drawing much attention.

There are plenty of AI solutions on the market, but many require member organizations to abandon their existing systems. Integrating AI into existing systems can be difficult, but it isn’t impossible. When shopping for an AI tool, look for a solution designed to work with your existing technology stack. When in doubt, hire a developer with AI expertise to see how you can bring AI to your existing platforms without changing everything.

Overcoming Resistance to AI

Many people are wary of using AI. Some worry about it taking human jobs or creating security issues. If you’ve decided to use AI, you may need to invest in an educational marketing campaign for both employees and members. It should explain why you’re using AI, where it’s used, and how you’re guaranteeing member data safety.

Cost and Access

Cost is one of the biggest challenges of AI in governance. In many cases, organizations must hire web developers or AI consultants to integrate AI into their systems in a meaningful way. Smaller organizations, in particular, often face issues with access to cutting-edge technologies. In this case, adopting low-cost (or even free) AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity can streamline more straightforward tasks like email writing.

Future Trends

It’s too soon to tell how AI will change member organization governance. However, change is on the horizon, and it’s crucial for associations to keep up.

Accessibility

More providers are rolling out AI-powered tools. It’s just a matter of time before AI integrates with many of the tools member organizations already use today, reducing barriers to accessibility for smaller organizations. Even if your organization can’t use AI today, it’s still good to understand how this technology works — it will likely be part of your organization’s software in the coming years.

Advanced Features

Technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) are already making waves, but AI analysts expect this technology to work in tandem with AI. IoT devices could simplify in-person voting, while advanced security features, like end-to-end encryption, will protect each vote. This ensures the system counts all votes correctly while maintaining voter confidentiality.

Data Policies

As convenient as AI is, it requires member organizations to carefully manage their member data. With cybersecurity issues on the rise, more attacks are targeting small organizations without robust protections. Going forward, all member organizations need to review and update their data protection policies. This is the key to embracing AI without compromising member safety.

Extend the Benefits of AI With Digital Voting Systems

Artificial intelligence has many upsides for member organizations, but this technology isn’t without its challenges. Ultimately, AI is here to stay, and organizations should find ways to cautiously embrace it despite its hurdles. Implemented with care, AI has the potential to improve the member experience and help your organization run more efficiently.

While AI can provide a much-needed assist for governance, you still need a solution to run a fair, democratic organization. Survey & Ballot Systems’ voting software helps associations, clubs, co-ops, and more make members’ voices heard. Enjoy the benefits of a digitized or hybrid voting solution that makes your organization more efficient at every turn, from nominations to vote tallies. Contact SBS now to embrace secure digital voting for the 21st century.