The Association Executive Services’ Technology in Associations 2026 Sector Report shares key findings from a survey of over 60 association leaders in Australia. The report aims to help other associations benchmark their use of technology against their peers. Here we share the key findings and our thoughts.
The use of AI
Unsurprisingly, AI is an area that associations are focusing on! 72% of the associations surveyed are currently using AI and 93% plan to expand the use of AI.
In terms of use cases, AI is being used by teams to help draft member communications and marketing assets, summarise documents and notes, and conduct research and analysis; with ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot as the leading AI tools used.
However, many associations are using AI without a clear policy in place. An AI policy helps outline to staff when AI should and should not be used; it aims to cover how to keep data secure whilst helping the team use AI more effectively.
Check out our post 5 areas to consider when using AI in your membership organisation
Cybersecurity and Disaster Recovery Planning
46% of respondents noted themselves as ‘secure’ when it comes to cybersecurity. However, in terms of reviewing the risks of potential threats, the results are much more inconsistent with 31% doing it quarterly, 38% doing this annually, and 32% doing it rarely or never.
Confidence in dealing with a cybersecurity incident is also varied; 40% are somewhat confident and 22% are neutral.
Completing regular cybersecurity reviews is essential. With the amount of personal and financial details a membership organisation holds, if a system goes down the results can be devastating. Not to mention the financial impact, operational disruption and reputational damage.
44% of respondents don’t have a disaster recovery plan in place. A disaster recovery plan helps outline a course of action to get systems up and running as soon as possible to minimise potential impact.
Check out our post what is disaster recovery planning?
Integrations between tools is a key challenge
63% of associations shared that better systems integration is a top priority for the next 2-3 years. In addition, only 39% of associations were satisfied with the integrations they had in place, with cost of integrations being the biggest draw back.
When multiple tools are used, it’s much harder to have a clear understanding of your member data. Data lives in different locations and it might be updated in one system and out of date in another. Your team might have to manually upload data from one system and upload it to another. Equally, your members might need to access multiple tools to manage their membership and have a different log in for each, which can lead to user frustration.
When there are too many tools in place, it’s important to take a step back and consider what tools are essential for your association. We recommend sticking to out of the box solutions as much as possible. If you need to have 3rd party solutions in place then they should be integrated – your AMS should be the main source of accurate and reliable data.
Check out our post How to connect your CRM to 3rd Party Software
The current tech landscape
59% of associations have a membership management tool in place. Other systems in place include project management, email marketing tools, survey tools, and accounting software.
Meanwhile, nearly 70% of associations surveyed operate with 10 or fewer staff. The main IT support gaps within these teams are limited staff capacity and lack of technical skills. Over one third of respondents also reported outdated systems and tools being issues.
With limited time and resource, it’s essential to have technology in place that helps make processes as straightforward and efficient for your team and members.
Final Thoughts
The Association Executive Services’ Technology in Associations 2026 Sector Report is a valuable way to see what challenges are affecting the sector. The first thing your team needs to establish is what challenges are the most prominent for your team, and what is affecting your members the most.
75% of respondents shared that IT is part of their associations strategic plan. However, only 10% of associations stated they have a comprehensive, aligned strategy between their organisational goals. Having a strategic plan that includes your use of technology is absolutely key to driving change forwards.
In short, here are next steps to consider:
- Create a clear AI policy that explains how it should and shouldn’t be used.
- Make sure you have a disaster recovery plan in place to handle any potential cybersecurity threats and complete regular cybersecurity reviews.
- Consider the 3rd party tools you have in place. If they’re essential make sure they are integrated with your AMS.
- Have a clear strategy in place that aligns your organisational goals with your technology
Not sure how your association compares?
Book a free consultation with our team to review your current technology landscape, identify risks and opportunities, and build a practical roadmap for improving performance.
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Additional resources for you
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