Aaron Smith, CRO of Gestalt, is an AI super-believer who built his own investing app without writing code, but he’s also the first to say there are moments when only a human will do. In this conversation, Aaron reveals why frustration is the trigger point for human intervention, why data organization is the real bottleneck, and why credit unions must move faster than ever. He warns that technology is evolving quicker than the industry’s urgency, and that hesitation invites disruption. Aaron breaks down where AI should help, where humans must lead, and how credit unions can run towards AI, not away from it.

AI can handle repetitive tasks, speed up processes, and answer routine questions, but it can’t replicate human intuition, empathy, or the ability to see a member as a person. In this episode of Human by AI, Sound Credit Union President & CEO Don Clark shares how they’re leveraging AI tools like Octobot to assist employees, not replace them, and how human touch remains at the heart of member experience. Discover how Sound CU balances automation with empathy, encourages bottom-up adoption of AI, and ensures employees can focus on what machines can’t: understanding the story behind every member interaction.

Kitsap Credit Union CEO Shawn Gilfedder believes AI isn’t here to replace humans, it’s here to elevate them. From cutting a 24-hour internal audit process down to near-real-time checks, to reviewing 100% of loan applications instead of 3%, Shawn shows how agentic AI becomes a toolkit that rides alongside employees, not over them. At Kitsap, humans still sit at the center, solving problems, thinking critically, staying curious. AI does the repetitive work; people do the meaningful work. And in Shawn’s words, the goal is simple: help employees become the “master plumbers” of their environment.

Horizon Credit Union COO Mark Neumann cuts through the AI noise with a simple truth: bots should handle the numbers so humans can handle the trust. In this grounded and deeply human conversation, Mark shares why trust can’t be automated and how AI frees employees to show up where members need them most. He breaks down the fear around “AI taking jobs,” explains how roles will evolve, not disappear, and reveals why repetitive tasks are the real bottleneck holding teams back.

As First Credit Union approaches its 100th year, President & CEO Jay Curtis is proving that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand. He shares how AI has enabled them to have more employees by freeing the team from repetitive tasks and letting them focus on growth. Along the way, Jay reveals the fun side of AI too, like crafting a birthday poem that left his child astonished.
Rooted in 97 years of heritage, First Credit Union is embracing cutting-edge technology without losing the human touch, showing how a century-old institution can stay fast, smart, and deeply connected to its members.

Nathan Cox, President & CEO of InRoads Credit Union, shares his vision for AI in banking: enhancing member experiences, empowering staff, and enabling 24/7 access, without replacing the human touch. From serving small businesses to supporting everyday members, Nathan explains how AI can create efficiency so teams can focus on deeper relationships. Learn why he believes AI is a tool for better outcomes, how he’s shaping a digital roadmap for the future, and why telling the story of AI is as important as the technology itself.

Fear of AI is real - but Chris Kearney, CEO of TruWest Credit Union, has been addressing it head-on for years. Learn his proven strategies for introducing AI at TruWest without triggering job loss anxiety, why he believes AI enables employees to do "more with less" (not fewer people), and how TruWest transformed loan approvals using hundreds of variables instead of traditional credit scoring. Chris explains the irreplaceable role of human empathy, intuition, and relationship-building in an increasingly automated world.

Seth Schaefer calls it the "should question"- and it's the gap that AI can finally fill for credit unions. Serving the ALICE population (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) at Rivermark, Seth sees members struggling with impossible choices: which bill to pay when you can't pay them all? Seth envisions AI that provides fair, equitable, and accessible guidance in real-time - empowering both members and employees.