We’re all hearing about AI. Boardrooms are buzzing. Vendors are name-dropping ChatGPT. And some CEOs are wondering if they need a Chief AI Officer, while others are still trying to remember their DocuSign password.
So, let’s cut through the buzz and map it out. Where are credit unions on the AI adoption bell curve?
Innovators: The Crazy Ones
Innovators make up only about 2.5% of the credit union population. They’re the ones pushing boundaries, helping others see what’s possible. I love them.
These are the CUs doing weird, brilliant stuff:
- Custom GPTs for underwriting policies
- AI-powered member service bots with sentiment analysis
- Actual data scientists on payroll (not just “a guy who’s good at Excel”)
They’re not asking, “should we use AI?” They’re building it, testing it, and breaking it before breakfast.
Is this you? CUs with CUSOs, internal dev teams, and execs who read Wired and CU Times.
Early Adopters: Brave and Budget-Conscious
Early Adopters make up 13.5% of credit union AI users. They’re willing to try things, but most of the things they’re willing to try have already been tested by the Innovators.
These people have bought into the vision, they’ve run some pilots, and they’re automating the boring stuff (like call center FAQs or marketing content).
They’ve got internal Slack channels titled #gpt-playground and they’re starting to see AI as a strategic edge, not just a tech toy.
Is this you? Prompt libraries, chatbot fine-tuning, AI-powered BI dashboards.
Early Majority: On the Bench, but Ready to Sub In
Around 34% of credit unions are “AI-curious.” They’re watching webinars, grilling vendors, and saying things like, “We’ll wait for compliance to weigh in.”
They’re dabbling—but mostly through vendors doing it for them (think: fraud detection, LOS tools, or chatbot plug-ins).
Is this you? These folks have their eye on a few solutions, but they’re looking for successful use cases and proven ROI from Innovators and Early Adopters.
Late Majority: “We’re a Relationship Business”
Another 34% of credit unions fall into the Late Majority group. They’re keeping an eye on new developments, but they’re comfortable doing the same things they’ve been doing for the last ten+ years. If it ain’t broke…
This group will join the party once the new technology has been safe and sanitized. They need to see more than a successful pilot before they jump in. Not until the rest of the market is saturated will they take their first real step.
They won’t be first, but they won’t get left behind either—as long as their core provider or digital banking vendor builds AI in by default.
They’re more likely to say, “AI makes me nervous,” than, “AI helps my team move faster.”
Is this you? Theseare the, “Let’s form a committee to explore it in Q3… next year,” crowd.
Laggards: Still Printing Emails
This is the final 16% of credit unions. They still have fax machines. They think AI means “robots replacing humans.” They use words like “gimmick.” Their response to innovation is usually, “But what if it breaks?”
They’ll adopt AI eventually—after it’s essentially been forced on them. If they’re proactive about it? It’s after three peer groups, one merger, and a painfully obvious ROI case…
And even then, they’ll try to turn it off on Fridays.
Is this you? Probably not, if you’ve read this far.
So Where Are We Really?
We’re at the tipping point between Early Adopters and Early Majority.
The visionaries have proven it works. The cautious ones are circling. The smart ones are building strategic muscle around AI before it becomes table stakes.
And make no mistake, it will become table stakes.
If you’re a fintech: figure out how to embed AI in your product—and make it simple.
If you’re a credit union: pick a use case, start small, and build the habit now.
Because in 12–18 months, if you’re not using AI to improve member experience, reduce cost of delivery, or make better decisions, you’re falling behind.
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Since 2020, we’ve been helping credit unions get started with AI. Everything from AI education, to strategy, to tech scouting.
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