What is agentic AI and how will it affect associations?

Agentic AI refers to AI systems that autonomously plan, execute, and adapt to achieve complex goals—moving beyond simple prompts to take action independently. IDC predicts by 2027, half of enterprises will use AI agents to redefine human-machine collaboration. For associations, this means AI will eventually handle multi-step workflows like member onboarding, event coordination, and personalized content delivery with minimal human oversight.

What percentage of association members are comfortable with AI?

According to Higher Logic's 2025 Association Member Experience Report, 94% of members are comfortable with their association using AI tools for functions like personalization, search, and support—60% fully comfortable and 34% somewhat comfortable. This high comfort level gives associations permission to adopt AI thoughtfully.

What percentage of associations have AI policies in 2025?

Only 13% of associations have an AI policy in place according to Momentive Software's 2025 research. However, board-level support for AI has surged to 61%, up from 23% in 2024—a 38-point increase. ASAE CIO Reggie Henry recommends 'guidelines rather than policies' given the rapid pace of change.

What percentage of associations have compelling value propositions?

Only 11% of associations rate their own value proposition as 'very compelling' according to MGI's Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report. This self-assessment gap indicates significant opportunity for differentiation through clearer articulation of member benefits.

2026 Technology Forecasts: Enterprise vs. Association Reality

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Struggling to understand the Technology Forecasts?SmartThoughts analysis comparing Gartner, IBM, IDC, Momentive, Higher Logic, and MGI 2026 predictions. Board AI support up 38 points, 94% member AI comfort—download the full executive analysis.

For Association Executives Navigating the Technology Landscape

The technology forecasting season is underway, with Gartner, IBM, IDC, PwC, and other major consulting firms unveiling their predictions for 2026. At the same time, organizations concentrating on associations, such as Momentive Software, Higher Logic, and MGI, have shared their insights specific to our sector.

The essential question that association executives need to consider:

How much of the enterprise technology conversation actually applies to us—and what's the probability these forecasts will become our reality?

SmartThoughts carried out an independent analysis comparing forecasts from leading IT consulting firms with research specific to associations and insights from practitioners. We compiled a report for you. And, here's what we found below.

The Enterprise AI Consensus: Agentic AI Takes Center Stage

The dominant theme across enterprise forecasts is agentic AI—AI systems that don't just respond to prompts but autonomously plan, execute, and adapt to achieve complex goals.

The numbers are striking:

IDC: 40% of G2000 job roles will involve direct AI interaction by 2026
IEEE: 96% of surveyed technologists expect rapid agentic AI adoption
Gartner: 50% of organizations will require "AI-free" skills assessments by 2026 due to critical thinking concerns

But here's what matters for associations: 91% of enterprise technologists foresee a surge in demand for human oversight roles—not replacement, but augmentation. The expert consensus is that AI will enhance human work, not eliminate it.

Association-Specific Research: Momentum Is Real

The Momentive Software 2025 Association Trends Study reveals a sector experiencing significant momentum:

76% of members now use AI at least weekly
61% of boards now support AI—up from 23% in 2024 (38-point surge)
63% report IT budgets will increase (19-point jump)
85% satisfaction among members who see their associations as early tech adopters

Yet challenges persist. Only 5% of small association professionals feel very technologically prepared, and just 13% have AI policies despite strong board support.

Want the Complete Analysis?

Our full executive report includes:

Complete probability assessments for 2026 technology adoption
All 5 strategic actions with implementation guidance
20+ cited sources from Gartner, IDC, PwC, Momentive, Higher Logic & MGI
ASAE CIO insights on AI governance and technology debt
Four critical technology skills your organization needs

What Practitioners Are Saying

Higher Logic's 2025 research uncovered a critical insight: 94% of members are comfortable with AI for personalization, search, and support. The barrier isn't member acceptance—it's organizational readiness.

Meanwhile, MGI's Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report found that only 11% of associations rate their own value proposition as "very compelling." Combined with Higher Logic's finding that 46% of non-members cite lack of awareness as their primary barrier to joining, associations face both a technology challenge and a messaging challenge.

ASAE CIO Reggie Henry offers practical guidance in our full analysis, including why he now uses "guidelines rather than policies" for AI governance, and introduces his phrase (once again), the concept of RONI—Return on NOT Investing—to quantify the cost of outdated technology.

The SmartThoughts Probability Assessment (Preview)

Based on 2025 data and historical patterns, we developed probability assessments for key 2026 outcomes:

Probability	Forecast
High (75-90%)	AI for content/communications becomes standard practice
Moderate (45-60%)	Formal AI policies are common at medium-to-large associations
Low (<25%)	Technology parity with the enterprise in advanced AI capabilities

Our full analysis includes our complete probability table with five forecast categories and a detailed rationale.

Key Takeaways Fromthe Technology Forecasts

Enterprise technology forecasts describe a real future that associations will experience, but as multiple studies confirm, nonprofits have historically been late adopters due to capital constraints, technical expertise gaps, and competing mission priorities.

The associations that thrive will be those that:

Build AI literacy before AI policy — Understanding must precede governance
Prioritize integration over innovation — Make existing systems work together first

Our complete analysis includes all five strategic actions with implementation guidance, plus the four critical technology skills ASAE identifies for 2026.

Get the Full 2026 Technology Forecast Analysis

This blog post summarizes some key findings from our comprehensive research. The full executive analysis includes:

Complete enterprise AI perspectives from IDC, IEEE, PwC, Gartner, Deloitte, and ADP
All association-specific data from Momentive, Higher Logic, MGI, and Association Forum, plus others, sourced in recent months
Practitioner insights, including extended quotes from ASAE CIO Reggie Henry
Full probability assessment with five forecast categories and rationale
Five strategic actions for association executives with implementation guidance
20+ verified sources with full citations

Sources Referenced in This Blog Analysis:

Enterprise: Gartner, IBM Institute for Business Value, IDC FutureScape 2026, PwC, IEEE, TechTarget, Deloitte, ADP

Association: Momentive Software, Higher Logic, MGI, Association Forum, ASAE

Full citations are included in the complete analysis.

SmartThoughts is an independent consulting firm specializing in software selection services for associations and nonprofits with 27+ years of experience.