Another Crazy Day in AI: Associations and the Challenge of Digital Readiness
- Wowza Team
- Jul 16
- 4 min read
Hello, AI Enthusiasts.
In case you missed it between tabs, here’s what’s bubbling up in the AI world.
A new podcast explores how nonprofits are navigating two very different futures: one digital, one...not. Between AI blockers and funding gaps, some orgs are sprinting while others are stuck in place.
Meanwhile, Claude just picked up a new gig in finance. The new enterprise offering claims it can clean up compliance, speed up research, and boost investor confidence.
And in a move that sounds like sci-fi: Goldman Sachs is piloting Wall Street’s first autonomous developer.
Here's another crazy day in AI:
Associations at the edge of AI access
Claude’s new tools for financial analysts
Wall Street’s first autonomous developer
Some AI tools to try out
TODAY'S FEATURED ITEM: Cloudflare, Crawlers & the Nonprofit Tech Gap
Image Credit: Wowza (created with Ideogram)
Are associations ready for the AI revolution, or are they still struggling with basic digital tools?
The recent podcast episode from Sidecar Sync explores two stark realities in the nonprofit technology landscape. Hosts Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias tackle Cloudflare's groundbreaking decision to block AI content scrapers by default while introducing a pay-per-crawl monetization system, alongside findings from the Chronicle of Philanthropy's revealing survey about nonprofit technology adoption. The episode, dedicated to Ninja's 12th birthday (Amith's dog), examines how associations can navigate between protecting their valuable content and embracing AI's transformative potential.
Both topics raise important questions about digital readiness. As tools and expectations evolve, organizations must assess not only what they’re willing to block or allow—but whether their infrastructure and mindset are prepared for what comes next. It's not just a question of policy or preference, but of capability.
In the episode, they explore:
Cloudflare's new default AI blocking system - The company now blocks AI scrapers automatically and offers website owners the ability to charge micro-fees for each crawl, potentially creating new revenue streams
The pay-per-crawl monetization model - A system where AI companies must pay for content access, with Cloudflare handling the technical infrastructure and payment processing
Association content strategy challenges - How organizations balance protecting member-exclusive content while maintaining discoverability and web traffic
Bot detection complexity - The ongoing cat-and-mouse game between AI scrapers and detection systems, with bots becoming increasingly sophisticated at mimicking human behavior
Chronicle of Philanthropy survey findings - Research showing most nonprofits spend less than 3% of their budgets on technology, compared to nearly 6% in the for-profit sector
The digital divide in nonprofits - Organizations with higher tech investment are twice as likely to use advanced tools, creating a reinforcing cycle where tech-savvy groups pull further ahead
Barriers to technology adoption - 89% cite budget constraints and 64% point to lack of in-house technical expertise as primary obstacles
AI Engine Optimization (AIEO) - The emerging practice of optimizing content for AI consumption, similar to how SEO transformed web strategies
Strategic planning in rapid technological change - Why traditional long-term planning becomes less effective when AI capabilities evolve so quickly
Custom software development opportunities - How AI-powered coding tools enable smaller organizations to build tailored solutions previously only available to large corporations
The conversation reveals a fascinating paradox in the nonprofit world. While some organizations worry about AI companies scraping their content without permission, others still rely on paper checks because they want to avoid credit card processing fees. This technology gap creates real consequences for organizations trying to serve their members and fulfill their missions. The hosts point out that associations often find themselves caught between two extremes: embracing cutting-edge AI tools or struggling with basic digital infrastructure that for-profit companies adopted years ago.
Nagarajan and Mejias emphasize that associations face a choice between trying to fight technological change or finding ways to harness it. The hosts argue that blocking AI entirely may be shortsighted, as it could reduce valuable web traffic and exclude beneficial services. Instead, they suggest a more nuanced approach that protects sensitive content while optimizing publicly available information for AI consumption. The discussion highlights how associations with limited budgets can still compete effectively by being more agile than larger organizations and leveraging AI tools to create custom solutions that meet their specific needs. What emerges from this conversation is a picture of a sector at a crossroads, where the organizations that can adapt quickly to new technologies will likely thrive, while those that cannot may find themselves increasingly irrelevant to the members they serve.
Watch it on YouTube here.
OTHER INTERESTING AI HIGHLIGHTS:
Claude’s New Tools for Financial Analysts
/Anthropic
Anthropic has launched a specialized Financial Analysis Solution powered by Claude, designed to assist finance professionals in research, modeling, compliance, and investment decision-making. With direct integration to platforms like Snowflake, S&P Global, and Databricks, Claude can unify internal and market data for fast, verifiable analysis. It also supports custom development, code modernization, and regulatory use cases, with enterprise partners like Deloitte and PwC contributing implementation expertise. Early adopters such as Bridgewater, NBIM, and AIG report notable gains in productivity and decision-making accuracy.
Read more here.
Wall Street’s First Autonomous Developer
/Hugh Son, Banking Reporter, on CNBC
Goldman Sachs is piloting an autonomous software engineer named Devin, developed by Cognition, as part of a growing trend toward AI-powered code generation. Devin, which can execute complex, multi-step programming tasks, is expected to significantly augment Goldman’s 12,000-person developer workforce. This move marks a milestone in Wall Street’s adoption of agentic AI, which promises productivity gains far beyond traditional AI tools. Goldman’s tech chief envisions a future hybrid workforce where human engineers manage and collaborate with intelligent agents.
Read more here.
SOME AI TOOLS TO TRY OUT:
Z.ai – Create presentations, pro writing, or complex code fast.
Kimi-K2 – 1T open-source chat model, strong in coding and agent tasks.
OpenArt Story – Turn ideas into ready-to-post videos with motion and music.
That’s a wrap on today’s Almost Daily craziness.
Catch us almost every day—almost! 😉
EXCITING NEWS:
The Another Crazy Day in AI newsletter is on LinkedIn!!!
Leveraging AI for Enhanced Content: As part of our commitment to exploring new technologies, we used AI to help curate and refine our newsletters. This enriches our content and keeps us at the forefront of digital innovation, ensuring you stay informed with the latest trends and developments.
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