Association executives using AI most often are in marketing/communications, knowledge management, and member services. And why not? AI saves time, improves efficiency, engages members, enhances content, provides better learning opportunities, simplifies data gathering and analysis, improves events, and enhances advocacy efforts.

While AI certainly has many positive attributes, there are a few downsides. To prevent these, association executives should be asking these questions:

• Is the data verifiable?
• Did the information originate from a trusted source?
• How old is the data? (Data before 2020, pre-Covid, may not be relevant.)
• Could your association experience an unintended disclosure of information?
• Do you understand AI use as it pertains to copyright laws? Can you even claim copyright when using AI?
• What are the appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI for your association?

At my MMC+T session on how to write AI policy, a participant said they don’t have a policy because they don’t know where to start. Several others echoed that sentiment.

Here’s my response: Don’t overthink it. Create a preliminary policy. You can always add to it later.

Why? Because using AI without a policy could be placing your association at great risk.

Writing an AI policy can be overwhelming. Where do you start? Here are a few suggestions:

• Determine responsible use. Align the policy with your mission to ensure that your AI policy continues to build member trust. Trust is the new currency in 2026.
• Clarify roles. Who’s the AI lead? Who needs to see the AI content? What’s the approval process? Who has the last word?
• Identify where your association uses AI. Do you use it for content? To summarize meeting notes? To gather, analyze, or translate data? For creative brainstorming sessions? Can you use it to develop HR policies or for determining whether a candidate might fit an open role? Can you use AI to help write grants?
• Define your strategic lens. What’s your risk tolerance? How does AI use affect your brand and reputation? How does your AI policy line up with your association’s strategic plan?

Depending on the industry and membership, your association may have a different strategic lens for AI use; various reasons why, how, and where to use AI; an approval process that is customized to your association; and diverse roles and responsibilities for staff, leaders, and members.

But at a minimum, your AI policy should:

• Be inclusive and apply to all members
• Include standards and disclosures
• Consider data privacy Incorporate cybersecurity
• Take into consideration your association’s risk tolerance level
• Be appropriate for your industry, association, and members

Once you have an AI policy, even a preliminary one, the next steps are to:

• Get buy-in. Before developing the policy, provide the staff with the reasons as to why you’re creating the policy.
• Pilot the policy. Test the policy with staff before rolling it out to your board and members. If staff members have questions on a part of the policy, you may need to revise that part of the policy.
• Create a summary. While your complete AI policy might be 10+ pages, the Pew Research Center says less than 1% will read a document that long. Therefore, develop a one-page summary to help ensure that the most important points are clear to staff and members.
• Conduct training. Once the policy is public, conduct in-person or Zoom training for staff, board, and members. Be sure to include compliance guidelines in the session.
• Develop an incident process. Although you may follow all the association best practices, there still may be breeches of your AI policy. It’s critical to review each situation and determine how best to handle it.
• Update the policy. Since AI technology is evolving quickly, you may need to review and update your policy every three to six months, and certainly every year.

One critical thing to remember about AI is that it is a tool. And for tools to be effective, they need to be guided by people. Only a person can determine that a statistic is too old or a specific adjective may not land well with your members. Only people can decide what’s appropriate for your association given the industry, ability to handle risk, and your members.

The most effective AI policy will reduce your association’s risk while ensuring that you use the tool responsibly. Ultimately, a strong AI policy is key in positioning your association, your leaders, and your members as industry thought leaders.