People are still the credit union superpower

It’s fair to say that there’s a growing AI fatigue among the general population. Concerns about AI are increasing, and since AI developers continue to push ahead recklessly while some of them have lost control of their creations, it’s easy to see why people are worried.

Credit unions are different, because credit unions will always be better if they stay fundamentally human. I’m not saying credit unions shouldn’t use AI. It’s an incredibly powerful tool when used correctly. It’s just that you can’t get rid of humans in a credit union. It runs counter to the ethos, the mission… pretty much everything a credit union stands for. 

Human connection is powerful

No matter how fancy your AI is, or how good it is at handling routine questions, sometimes your members need to talk to a real live person. When your members are facing strong emotions likem uncertainty or fear, or don’t even know the words for what they need, they may not want a chatbot or an AI-powered search. There’s nothing more reassuring than being able to explain your problem to an expert. That ability to access an actual human has always been what sets credit unions apart.

Humans are still better at reading the room, empathizing with others, and prioritizing people over profit. These abilities are why humans still beat AI in fields that require emotional intelligence, like teaching.

We’ve seen the power of human connections ever since the COVID pandemic. People are still itching to get out to a conference, meet in person, anything they can do to avoid that feeling of isolation. Credit unions empower their community and offer support when it’s needed most.

Human identity is infinitely more interesting

Like I said before, you can’t take the humans out of the credit union because the humans are the credit union. Credit unions are incredibly local. A credit union belongs to a specific place, and belongs to a certain group of people.

This strong sense of identity helps credit unions avoid Blandification. We know that a blah brand holds you back and keeps you from standing out. Leave too much of your messaging and branding efforts in the hands of AI, and you might find it has smoothed out the edges that give your credit union an identity.

Humans understand the impact

Humans can take responsibility for real-world impact. Risk doesn’t live in isolation, it lives in the larger context that an AI often cannot see. Humans are better at weighing what a decision will cost someone else.

In another sense, there are some parts of working at a credit union where you simply cannot give AI the responsibility, usually due to compliance issues. It just can’t have access to certain data without creating a security risk.

Power means people

People are what makes a credit union special. Your members’ sense of identity, community and responsibility toward each other aren’t something we can replicate with an AI model.

Don’t abandon your AI tools. Just don’t forget why people remain the ultimate credit union superpower.

This blog article was written with 100% human brainpower. Fingers on the keyboard, the whole shebang.

Sam Dicken
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