Executive Roundtable Meeting Report

25 February 2025

Introduction

The AI Institute convened 28 CEOs and senior leaders from associations and membership bodies for an engaging roundtable discussion on AI adoption. The session explored key challenges and opportunities in AI adoption, leadership strategies, and practical applications for membership organisations using the results of the AI Adoption Research Report 2025. 

3 minute read

Chart shows excecutives participated in the reserach. Get your copy of the report here.

Key Themes & Discussions

1. Bridging the AI Knowledge Gap

One of the most pressing issues highlighted was the lack of AI knowledge and understanding among leaders. While many executives believe they are familiar with AI, deeper analysis often reveals gaps in understanding generative AI and its business applications.

2. Overcoming Cultural Resistance to AI

AI adoption is often met with fear and resistance, especially regarding job security. Many organisations struggle to reassure employees about their evolving roles.

• Insight from the Research:

  “We need to communicate a clear vision for employees’ futures, beyond automating their tasks.”

  
  

• Successful strategies include:

  • Framing AI as a tool that enables staff to focus on higher-value work.

  • Involving employees in the AI transition by identifying tasks they would prefer to shift away from.

  • Using AI to enhance member engagement rather than just drive efficiency.

    
    

3. AI Strategy: Where Do We Start?

The research and discussions revealed that 60% of organisations are still developing an AI strategy, while 20% have no plans at all.

• The need for associations leaders to create simple AI strategies:

  “AI strategy doesn’t have to be a 90-page report. Even a one-pager outlining objectives and approach can provide clarity.”

  
  

• Approaches discussed:

  • Align AI with existing strategic goals, such as improving member engagement or operational efficiency.

  • Move from experimentation to structured implementation, ensuring AI adoption is not ad hoc.

  • Ensure leadership team is informed, educated and actively involved in AI discussions.

4. Practical AI Applications in Membership Organisations

Several CEOs and executive leaders shared real-world AI use cases that are already delivering value. Comments from many CEOs in attendance:

• AI is helping summarise meeting minutes, analyse research, and automate marketing tasks.

• Staff were engaged in identifying AI use cases rather than viewing it as a top-down initiative.

• AI is being explored for managing technical archives and ensuring members can easily access 75 years of guidance.

• Key challenge: Some senior members are resistant to AI due to traditional mindsets.

• Smaller teams face resource and knowledge constraints, making it difficult to determine the best AI tools.

• Calls for better signposting and AI education tailored to small organisations.

  
  

5. Enhancing Member Engagement with AI

Despite operational improvements, research shows 90% of organisations reported no improvement in member engagement from AI.

Practical, simple and safe examples:

• Using AI for engagement scoring based on event attendance and interactions.

• Prompt engineering to extract actionable insights from meeting notes and member data.

• AI-powered comparison analysis to identify trends in retained vs. lost members.

• Gap analysis to detect missing data that could enhance engagement strategies.

  
  

6. AI’s Rapid Evolution: A Challenge for Decision-Makers

Many leaders hesitate to invest in AI tools due to the rapid pace of change. Comments from a number of CEOs in attendance: 

• Concerned about choosing the wrong AI tool, given the fast-moving landscape.

• Seeking guidance on how to balance agility with long-term investment.

• AI is evolving so quickly that we struggle to define its role before the next advancement arrives.

• AI must balance efficiency gains with responsible use.

• Budget constraints make it difficult to experiment widely with AI tools.

• Calls for sector-wide discussions on AI’s environmental impact.

Key Takeaways & Next Steps

1. Develop an AI Strategy—It Doesn’t Need to Be Complex

• Define one or two key objectives (e.g., operational efficiency, member engagement).

• Keep it simple: A one-page strategy is better than none.

  
  

2. Invest in AI Knowledge & Training

• Identify AI champions within your team.

• Use external forums like the AI Institute to get informed and educated.

• Encourage cross-sector learning from members already using AI.

  
  

3. Address Employee Concerns Proactively

• Clearly define roles in an AI-enabled workplace.

• Involve staff in AI discussions from the outset.

• Demonstrate AI’s benefits in freeing up time for increasing more meaningful work.

  
  

4. Prioritise AI Tools That Deliver Immediate Value

• AI-powered engagement analysis can improve member retention.

• Automate routine tasks first (e.g., meeting notes, data entry).

• Experiment with generative AI for content creation and insights.

  
  

5. Collaborate & Share Learnings

• Engage in peer discussions to refine AI approaches.

• Benchmark AI use cases across the membership sector use AI Self-assessment.

• Co-develop AI guidelines to navigate ethical and sustainability challenges.

  
  

Conclusion

The 28 CEOs who attended the AI Institute’s roundtable highlighted the critical need for AI knowledge, strategic clarity, and cultural readiness in membership organisations. Leaders are eager to adopt AI but must navigate concerns around job security, investment risks, and ethical implications.

Comments from CEOs in attendance:

• The importance of continuous learning:

  “Many of us overestimate our own understanding of AI. Leaders must embrace their ignorance, remain curious, and empower their organisations to learn.”

  
  

• Practical solutions:

  • Leverage professional networks and forums like the AI Institute.

  • Tap into AI expertise within your membership base.

  • Identify internal AI champions to support learning across teams.

By aligning AI with organisational goals, fostering a learning culture, and leveraging existing expertise, leaders in membership bodies can unlock AI’s full potential while ensuring Responsible Gen-AI adoption.

Attendees shared their viewes, experiences and explored practical applications of AI in membership organisations.

The AI Institute will continue to provide leaders with guidance, resources and forums for ongoing discussion. 

For further discussions and insights, get connected with the leaders collective at the AI Institute.