ACE26: Jonathan Brill Urges Credit Unions to Ride the AI Wave
Jonathan Brill, ranked a top futurist in the world, took the ACE26 stage to explore how credit unions can navigate rapid change driven by AI and global disruption.
Using a riptide analogy, Brill encouraged attendees to rethink how they approach uncertainty.
“Instead of fighting big forces, learn how to ride it,” Brill said.
He pointed to major trends shaping the next five years, including trade tensions, economic uncertainty, demographic shifts, defense priorities and emerging technologies. While AI is central to that conversation, Brill emphasized it should not be viewed in isolation.
“When I talk about artificial intelligence, it is a small thing that
exists in this much larger ocean.”
Brill explained that today’s breakthroughs are the result of decades of work bringing together symbolic and neural AI systems, creating what is now known as agentic AI. While adoption remains low today, he noted that capabilities are expected to expand rapidly, with AI quality projected to increase significantly by 2030.
That growth, he said, will reshape how people work and make decisions, “AI is going to change the basis of human performance.”
Rather than replacing people, Brill stressed that AI will amplify human strengths. It will improve judgment, provide teams with stronger context and make advanced simulation and scenario planning more accessible across organizations.
“Jobs are not going away. The rate of innovation is about to go through the ceiling.”
Even as AI reduces certain tasks, Brill noted that new opportunities will emerge even faster, driving a surge in innovation while widening the gap between what is possible and what organizations are willing to act on.
To close that gap, he urged credit unions to rethink traditional structures and empower employees at every level. Simply layering AI onto existing systems will not unlock its full value. Instead, organizations must evolve from within, creating what he described as a more distributed and adaptive model.
Fireside Chat with Patty Corkery
In a fireside chat with MCUL President and CEO Patty Corkery, the conversation shifted to practical applications for credit unions.
Brill emphasized the importance of focusing on value creation while preparing for a new generation of members. He acknowledged that smaller credit unions may face challenges in prioritizing investments but noted their advantage in agility compared to larger organizations managing both technology and organizational complexity.
A key theme of the discussion was culture. Brill highlighted the need to create environments where employees feel safe to experiment and innovate.
“It is vital to build trust and psychological safety.”
He also encouraged credit unions to identify where AI can take on tasks or improve outcomes, allowing teams to focus more on higher value work and member relationships.
Looking ahead, Brill reinforced that while technology continues to evolve, the human element will remain the industry’s greatest strength.
“At the end of the day, it is the human side that matters.”
He closed by reminding attendees that relationships, empathy and trust will continue to define the credit union difference, even as the industry prepares for what he described as an approaching “AI rogue wave.”
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