The Rise of Hey NAPA

By Brett Williams and Kate Lancaster, Contributing Authors

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Marketing, Membership, Communications, and Tech - MMC Tech - conference brings together professionals from a wide spectrum of industries, including healthcare, education, construction and many others. This year, we had the opportunity to present how the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) is using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform the way its members access resources and expertise.

The topic was about asphalt, member-driven change and how technology can bridge the gap between seasoned experts and those new to the industry. 

Our live demonstration of Hey NAPA, an AI-powered chat bot, sparked questions and discussion. Could a digital tool really deliver decades of technical knowledge in seconds? Could it help solve real-world problems, train new staff and foster collaboration?

The answer is yes. Hey NAPA offers a model for how associations can empower their members, streamline access to trusted resources and reimagine what is possible in their fields. 

The story of Hey NAPA provides a window into how artificial intelligence is reshaping our industry.

Like every sector, artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the asphalt industry. Hey NAPA is an AI-powered chat bot developed through a strategic collaboration between XBE and NAPA. Its purpose is simple yet transformative: to revolutionize how asphalt pavement professionals access and apply industry resources.

From a technical perspective, Hey NAPA is powered by the latest ChatGPT model. It is trained on NAPA’s extensive technical library and enriched with data from partner organizations such as the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University, the Airfield Asphalt Pavement Technology Program (AAPTP), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). 

Hey NAPA simulates an expert panel, providing immediate and comprehensive responses to prompts related to asphalt pavements and the broader industry. It acts as a digital repository of expertise, accessible to professionals and researchers worldwide, and able to communicate in multiple languages.

Users can access direct links to source documents, share chats via static URLs and engage in collaborative conversations with peers. The tool transforms NAPA’s resource repository into a free, user-centric digital platform, available to the public through NAPA’s website or directly at heynapa.com.

For engineers and industry professionals, Hey Napa is a troubleshooting companion, offering precise answers and recommendations by leveraging the collective knowledge amassed by NAPA. The chat bot considers multiple responses for each prompt, evaluating various potential solutions and tailoring its recommendations to the specific circumstances and needs of the user.

For association professionals and industry communicators, Hey NAPA is a catalyst for collaboration and knowledge sharing. It enables users to share conversations, brainstorm solutions and even develop interactive training programs with instantaneous feedback for new team members. 

Whether you are onboarding new talent or supporting seasoned professionals, Hey NAPA adapts its outputs to provide relevant information, helping organizations swiftly integrate new perspectives and foster a knowledgeable, forward-thinking workforce.

Hey NAPA’s versatility extends to educational settings, where it can assist in lesson plan creation, curriculum development, and professional development for educators. It provides feedback, clarifies terminology and offers access to valuable reference materials, making it a personal tutor, coach, and mentor for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of asphalt-related topics.

The Need It Fills

The idea for Hey NAPA was born out of real conversations among members of NAPA’s
Committee for Engineering Application and Practice. Time and again, members shared
their experiences with the challenge of finding the right resources in NAPA’s vast technical library. With so much valuable information available, locating a specific document or answer could be time-consuming and sometimes overwhelming.

Recognizing this need, NAPA and XBE partnered to create a solution that would make
accessing resources easier and more intuitive. Hey NAPA was developed as a tool to bridge this gap, providing a direct link to the information members need on specific areas of interest. Instead of searching through the NAPA online store or relying on memory, users can now simply ask Hey NAPA a question and receive immediate, targeted resources and responses.

Since its launch, Hey NAPA has sparked interest and engagement among NAPA members and industry professionals. Many users have shared how the tool has made it easier to locate technical resources, answer complex questions and support day-to-day decision-making. The response has been positive. Engineers, plant operators, project managers and association staff have shared how Hey NAPA streamlines the process of finding technical documents and provides targeted guidance with a simple query. 

The number of users has climbed from the initial release in July 2023 to well over 4,300 by December 2025. The chat activity within Hey NAPA also has surged, reaching over 36,000 by December 2025. This metric highlights not only the tool’s popularity but also its value as a resource for professionals seeking quick answers.

The growth in users and chat activity demonstrates that Hey NAPA is meeting a real need. It is helping bridge gaps between seasoned experts and newcomers, making technical knowledge more accessible and actionable.

Looking Ahead

Beyond its immediate impact, Hey NAPA underscores how the asphalt pavement industry is leading the way in practical, member-driven innovation. Hey NAPA showcases how artificial intelligence can be integrated into daily workflows, training and strategic planning. As more professionals engage with these tools, the opportunities for innovation continue to grow.

Feedback following the MMC Tech presentation made it clear that NAPA is pushing boundaries within the association community. Numerous organizations expressed strong interest in adopting similar approaches and engaged in extended discussion during the Q&A session. Hey NAPA is a tool built for the asphalt industry, and serves as a compelling example of how thoughtful, member-focused engagement can inspire innovation well beyond a single sector.

Brett Williams is the senior director of engineering and technical services at NAPA. Kate Lancaster is the senior manager of digital marketing at NAPA.