From Hops to Bots: Brewing an AI Strategy

In this episode of Reboot IT, host Dave Coriale sits down with Mike Robichaud, IT Director at the Brewers Association, to explore how his organization is embracing AI to enhance staff productivity and deliver greater value to members. Mike shares insights on their two-pronged AI strategy, internal adoption challenges, and how they’re building trust and security around proprietary data. This conversation is packed with practical ideas for associations looking to move beyond AI experimentation and into meaningful implementation.Themes and Topics:Crafting an AI StrategyTwo-pronged approach: internal staff tools and member-facing AI agent. Focus on augmentation, not job replacement. Aligning AI initiatives with organizational goals and member success.Driving Staff Adoption71% of staff were already using AI before rollout; 66% used ChatGPT. Use cases include brainstorming, data analysis, and document creation. Idea-sharing through informal showcases to inspire broader adoption.Enhancing Member ValueAI agent trained on proprietary “BAMO” data for personalized support. Enables conversational access to complex resources like regulations. Goal: make finding information easier and more intuitive for members.Building Trust and SecurityStrong vetting of platforms for data privacy and compliance (GDPR, SOC 2). Clear boundaries: proprietary data stays internal and is not used to train external models. Legal review and communication plan to address staff concerns.Tools and Technology ChoicesInternal: ChatGPT Enterprise for staff workflows. Member-facing: Chatbase integrated with ChatGPT-5 for custom training. Features like SSO, connectors, and compliance were key selection criteria.Looking AheadSoft launch internally; member-facing tool in testing phase. Refining tone and personality of AI agent for better engagement. Marketing plans and use cases to drive member adoption.