The AI revolution isn't coming—it's already here. And for credit unions, the question is no longer whether to adopt AI, but how to leverage it to strengthen member relationships while maintaining the community-focused values that set them apart.
In a recent episode of the So Much Good podcast, YMC's VP of Strategy Reh Harvey and AI and Automation Manager Mason Dupree dove deep into what AI means for credit unions in 2026 and beyond. Here's what credit union leaders need to know.
One of the most significant shifts happening right now is how people search for information. Younger members are increasingly bypassing traditional search engines in favor of AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude.
"I constantly throughout the day, if I have a question or there's something I want to know more about, especially finance products, I'll use ChatGPT to get a great broad overview," Mason explains. "It helps you really get into the deeper nuances and answer specific questions in a carefree environment where you don't have to worry about looking uninformed."
This behavioral shift means credit unions need to start thinking about AEO—AI Engine Optimization—just as they've focused on SEO. When a potential member asks an AI agent about the best auto loan rates or which credit union serves their community, will your institution show up in the response?
While AI agents are changing how people consume information, they still need to pull that information from somewhere. Right now, that somewhere is your website.
"Those AI agents are pulling from websites," Reh emphasizes. "The website itself has to be strong, or else all of this other stuff doesn't matter."
However, there's an important caveat: credit unions should expect to see overall website traffic decline as more people get answers directly from AI without clicking through. The good news? The traffic you do get will be higher intent.
"General browsing traffic will probably slow down, but it's going to be higher intent traffic that ends up making it to the website," Mason notes. "They've decided on what they're looking for and they're here to take action."
This means your operations need to be streamlined. When someone arrives at your website ready to apply for a loan, the process needs to be frictionless.
In the age of AI, trying to be everything to everyone won't work. Credit unions need to get crystal clear on what they specialize in and create deep, authoritative content around those specializations.
"You can't be everything to everybody anymore," Reh states. "If you're big into business lending, go all in on business lending and start making content for that—videos, blog posts, really letting those robots crawl everything on your website."
This focused approach helps AI agents understand what your credit union excels at and increases the likelihood you'll be recommended when members ask relevant questions.
Beyond search optimization, AI offers immediate practical benefits for credit union operations. One powerful application? Using AI agents to identify friction points in your member experience.
"Credit unions could create an agent that says, 'Take from start to finish, what's my customer experience? Go through the application process, go through the membership process, and find any friction points,'" Reh suggests. "That alone can change lending numbers and membership numbers in a huge way."
Other applications include processing loan applications more efficiently, creating marketing content, and automating repetitive tasks that consume staff time. The key is that AI handles the operational heavy lifting while freeing staff to focus on community engagement.
While AI can process applications and answer questions, it cannot replace the deep community connections that define credit unions.
"AI can know a lot of facts and demographics about a community—how many people live there, what the demographic makeup looks like—but it's not going to really know the heart or soul of the community that credit union is in," Reh observes.
This is where credit unions have a distinct advantage over larger banks. As AI handles more routine tasks, credit union staff have more time to be present in their communities, visiting schools, attending local events, and building the relationships that drive member loyalty.
One common fear is that AI will eliminate jobs. Mason offers a different perspective: "A job is really just a bundle of tasks. AI will take over particular tasks, and your job will then change once enough tasks are taken over by AI, but it will be new tasks."
Instead of processing loan applications manually, for example, a loan officer might manage AI agents that handle the initial processing, then focus on the exceptions that require human judgment and building relationships with members.
"There's always going to need to be a project director, a project manager," Mason adds. "You'll take over the task of managing several different agents that do different things, which enables you to do more."
For credit union leaders wondering where to begin, the advice is simple: start experimenting.
"If you're not talking about AI, start having those conversations across every person in the organization—the board, the frontline, the back office," Reh urges. "Start playing around with it. Use it. Get comfortable with it and really get creative."
Mason echoes this sentiment: "Stay open, constantly be playing with it yourself. If you ever think to yourself, 'Is this question too difficult for AI?' never assume that. Put it in and really try. You'll be shocked at what you can find, and that will put you on the bleeding edge of what it's able to do."
AI represents both a challenge and an opportunity for credit unions. Those who embrace it early, use it to enhance operations, and free up staff to deepen community connections will thrive. Those who resist or delay will find themselves increasingly invisible to the AI-native members of tomorrow.
The technology is moving fast—what's possible today will be vastly different six months from now. But the fundamental principle remains: use AI to do what machines do best, so your people can do what humans do best—build genuine, lasting relationships with your members and community.
The future of credit unions isn't human versus machine. It's humans empowered by machines, delivering the kind of personalized, community-focused service that makes credit unions special.
Ready to explore how AI can transform your credit union? The team at YMC is here to help you navigate this new landscape. Reach out to start the conversation about your AI strategy today.