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AI in Online Communities: Where It Helps and Where Humans Still Matter

AI is everywhere right now, including in online communities. But for community managers, the big question is: how do we use it without losing the human connection that makes communities work?

In this AMA, Nicole Saunders, Senior Director of CX Strategy at Higher Logic, digs into how AI is being applied in online communities today and how it complements human-led engagement.

Note: this content has been lightly edited for clarity and concision. 

Q: How can AI add value in online communities?

Nicole Saunders: I’ll start by saying we’re all learning this right now. It’s a great time to experiment and explore what resonates in your specific community. Where AI adds the most value will depend on your audience—who they are, how they engage, and how eager (or resistant) they are to using AI.

That said, a few common themes are emerging:

  • AI as support for community managers.
    Think about all the repetitive, administrative tasks we handle: sentiment analysis, moderation, queue management. AI can make community professionals much more efficient, taking on routine work so we can focus on the human side, like building relationships, creating meaningful content, and fostering connections.
  • AI for synthesizing community insights.
    One of the promises of community has always been that it gives companies direct insight into customer needs and market direction. But once you have thousands of posts and conversations, it’s overwhelming. Historically, those insights lived in the community manager’s head. AI can now help synthesize and summarize those discussions, turning unstructured conversations into clear, actionable insights for the business.
  • AI for breaking down barriers.
    I’m especially excited about language. Imagine two members who speak different languages being able to have a seamless conversation in their own native tongues, automatically translated in real time. That kind of functionality opens up communities to a wider, more inclusive group of people.
  • AI for content enrichment.
    We’ve all seen posts in communities that are just a single sentence with no context, maybe because they just aren’t great at articulating their ideas. AI could help expand those posts, turning a few bullet points into a clear, complete question. That helps the member get better responses and helps the whole community.

So, I see AI use cases creating efficiencies for community managers, helping us finally unlock the insights inside our communities, breaking down language barriers, and improving the quality of content members share.

Q: How can community managers use AI for efficiency without losing the human touch?

Nicole Saunders: The first part is about using tools that help community managers focus their attention where it’s needed most. Instead of manually sorting through a long queue in chronological order and realizing hours later that something urgent slipped through, AI can surface the conversations that need human attention right away. That makes it easier to prioritize and jump in where a personal touch matters most.

The second part is about being intentional. Businesses shouldn’t implement AI just to say they’re doing it. They should use it where it helps, and avoid inserting it where it risks disrupting authentic, human-to-human connection. Communities only thrive when they stay centered on people and their needs.

One area I think has real potential is matchmaking. AI can help spot patterns, interests, or overlaps in customer data and connect members who should know each other. We already see versions of this in content platforms with “people you might like” or “articles you might enjoy.” Imagine that at scale in your community, where members are proactively connected to others with similar roles, goals, or challenges.

The key is to use AI thoughtfully. Let it handle the repetitive and structural tasks, let it point us toward opportunities for connection, but don’t let it sit in front of the interactions that should remain human.

Q: What AI features is Higher Logic building for community managers?

Nicole Saunders: We’re taking a two-pronged approach to our AI features at Higher Logic.

  • First, tools that support community managers. Things like sentiment analysis, spam filtering, and other features that help you keep your community running smoothly and direct your attention to the right places more quickly.
  • Second, tools that enhance the end-user experience. Features like AI-powered search and real-time translation that make it easier for members to find value and engage.

To share more detail, I’ll hand it over to Matt Crouse, who’s on the product and engineering team building these tools.

Matt Crouse: This is a topic I’m really passionate about. Our AI work is focused on both reducing management overload and improving engagement.

On the management side, we’re developing tools like sentiment analysis, moderation support, and spam filtering. These lighten the load on community managers and help surface what needs attention most urgently.

On the engagement side, we’re introducing features like:

  • AI Search Assistant: This is designed to refine questions and surface the most relevant discussions, knowledge base articles, and resources. Our approach is to drive members toward content and people—not just give a one-off AI-generated answer—so that they join discussions and connect with others.
  • Smart Campaigns: These will generate AI-powered email campaigns tailored to user interests, intent, or specific community manager objectives, whether that’s re-engagement, event attendance, or spotlighting new activity.

We already have sentiment analysis in the platform today, but as we expand, those insights will drive even more features, like identifying advocates, spotting members who may need extra support, or flagging potential spam.

Importantly, our philosophy is to never let AI get in the way of human interaction. Instead, we’re using it to reduce management overhead, free up time, and make engagement richer and more meaningful.

Making AI Work for Community

AI is here, and it’s already making community management more efficient. But the real opportunity is to use it thoughtfully to streamline operations, uncover insights, and connect members more effectively while keeping human relationships at the center.

Explore the rest of this AMA series:

And don’t miss the full AMA webinar with Nicole Saunders.