AI is reshaping how associations, GR firms, and political practitioners do their work. But the disruption looks different depending on where you sit.
Artificial intelligence is the subject of relentless hype, but for those working in and around government — associations, GR consultants, lobbyists, political practitioners — the practical question is more specific: what does this technology actually change about how we do our work, and what does it leave untouched? In this roundtable, our contributors take on that question from different angles.
Tyler Meredith argues that AI could break the economy-of-scale paradox that has long constrained associations, allowing them to deliver tailored value to members at a fraction of the traditional cost, but only if productivity gains are reinvested rather than pocketed. Ken Boessenkool draws a sharp line between the commodity and value sides of any service business, warning that firms which outsource the basics to AI risk losing the muscle memory required to move up the value chain. And Shannon Phillips maps the specific use cases, from committee transcripts to economic modelling to campaign tools, distinguishing where AI delivers genuine gains from where human judgment remains irreplaceable:
- MEREDITH: Some might think that AI is a threat to traditional trade associations. The opposite may be true, but it requires being harnessed thoughtfully.
- BOESSENKOOL: Don’t Outsource Your Muscle Memory
- PHILLIPS: Artificial Intelligence and the Business of Politics – For Associations, a mix of good and bad news
