What does advocacy look like when artificial intelligence becomes the first place people go for answers?
That was the central question as APRO CEO Charles Smitherman, PhD, JD, MSt, CAE, joined the Texas Society of Association Executives’ (TSAE) Better by Association podcast for an in-depth conversation on association leadership, artificial intelligence, and the evolving responsibility of trade associations to become trusted sources of knowledge in an AI-driven world.
Hosted by Steven Stout, FASAE, CAE, and Katy Markert, the episode explored Smitherman’s journey from attorney to association executive, the work of the Association of Professional Rental Organizations (APRO), and the innovative strategies APRO is using to ensure accurate information about the rent-to-own industry is available wherever people seek answers.
Charles Smitherman’s Journey to APRO Leadership
Before leading APRO, Smitherman built a career in law, advocacy, and academia. While many people are surprised to learn that a lawyer became the head of a national trade association, Smitherman explained that the transition was more natural than it may appear.
“As a lawyer, advocacy is a core piece of what you do,” Smitherman said. “You’re looking for ways to address problems, foresee problems, plan for problems down the road. That’s what we all do day to day.”
His legal background also shaped the way he views associations.
Rather than seeing competitors gathering in one room as a legal concern, Smitherman sees associations as a force that helps industries improve through education, collaboration, and shared best practices.
“There is a very positive nature to companies coming together,” he said. “The companies know the industry the best. They’re in the best position to share best practices, adapt to changing business environments, and respond to new challenges.”
Education Has Always Been APRO’s Greatest Form of Advocacy
Throughout the discussion, Smitherman returned to a principle that has guided APRO’s work for decades: most misunderstandings begin with a lack of education.
“I firmly believe it is an education issue,” he explained. “Where the misunderstanding comes from is a lack of understanding.”
That philosophy has shaped APRO’s advocacy efforts for years.
The association successfully led the effort to establish a modern legal framework for rent-to-own through model legislation adopted across 47 states. Today, APRO continues that mission by educating lawmakers, consumers, retailers, media, and now artificial intelligence systems about the rent-to-own transaction.
Why Smitherman Believes Associations Must Lead in AI
One of the most compelling parts of the conversation centered on Smitherman’s work in artificial intelligence and his book, Reclaiming Authority: How Institutions Teach Truth in the Age of AI.
While much of the conversation surrounding AI focuses on productivity tools like ChatGPT or Claude, Smitherman believes associations have a much bigger opportunity.
“I think this is a core, fundamental, existential reason for our existence,” he said. “Being that steward of authority, of truth for our respective associations, our industries, and our professions.”
He pointed to a dramatic shift in how people find information online.
“Seven out of ten Google searches today result in no clicks,” Smitherman explained. “People ask a question, get an answer, and never visit a website.”
That reality changes everything for associations.
Instead of thinking only about search engine optimization (SEO), organizations must now consider Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), ensuring their expertise appears directly in AI-generated answers.
APRO’s Generative Knowledge Initiative
Smitherman shared how APRO recognized this shift early and invested in what has become the APRO Generative Knowledge Initiative.
Rather than focusing solely on attracting website visitors, APRO has worked to ensure that AI systems recognize the association as the authoritative source on rent-to-own.
“We’re writing for two audiences,” Smitherman explained. “The human audience is there… but the primary audience is an AI bot.”
That work has included rebuilding portions of APRO’s website, creating a comprehensive Rent-to-Own 101 Knowledge Base, publishing structured educational content, and intentionally organizing information so large language models can understand and cite it accurately.
The results have been significant.
“We’ve overtaken… we’re the most cited domain in our category,” Smitherman said. “We’re above Reddit, we’re above YouTube, we’re above Wikipedia.”
Perhaps most rewarding was seeing AI begin to identify APRO exactly as intended.
“I asked Google about rent-to-own again a year later,” Smitherman said. “It said APRO is the authoritative source on rent-to-own.”
Then, with a smile, he explained why.
“Why did it say ‘authoritative source’? Because we said it fifty times.”
Building Authority Instead of Chasing Attention
Smitherman emphasized that AI does not investigate information. It synthesizes what authoritative sources have already published.
“It’s going to repeat whatever is authoritative and whatever it can read.”
For associations, that means becoming intentional about publishing accurate, accessible knowledge before someone else fills the gap.
He offered simple advice for association executives wondering where to begin.
“Google yourself. ChatGPT yourself. Claude yourself.”
Then ask where those systems are getting their information.
If the answers come from third parties instead of your organization, there is an opportunity to build authority.
Helping Redefine Modern Association Advocacy
The conversation highlighted a broader vision for the future of association leadership.
Under Smitherman’s leadership, APRO has expanded its advocacy beyond legislatures and courtrooms into the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. Through the APRO Generative Knowledge Initiative, the association is helping ensure that policymakers, consumers, retailers, journalists, researchers, and AI systems alike receive accurate information about the rent-to-own industry from its most authoritative source.
As AI increasingly becomes the first place people turn for answers, Smitherman believes associations have an unprecedented opportunity and responsibility.
“We can be a primary source,” he said. “Or at the very least, an authoritative source.”
For APRO, that work is already well underway.
