Insights from the Future of Distribution
The practical follow-up to AI in the Trades: five questions every distributor and manufacturer should ask before handing a vendor their data — plus the red flags that mean you should walk.
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AI
AI in the Trades: What's Real, What's Hype
What's actually going on with AI in building materials? A clear-eyed take from an LBMA session — what AI is not, a one-sentence definition, and why AI-native software is a different mental model than traditional software.
Jul 21, 2026
Industry
Context Is the Competitive Edge
Your competitor can buy the same AI you can. The one asset they can't copy is what your people know — and right now it's living in human memory and on sticky notes. AI on your data is autocomplete. AI on your context is the only edge that's actually yours.
Jul 7, 2026
Industry
5 Things I Learned at Applied AI for Distributors 2026
Four of us attended Applied AI for Distributors in Chicago. I gave a talk. Here are five takeaways from dozens of conversations with distributors and vendors — on AI messaging, legacy ERP friction, cloud trust, and what IT leaders actually want.
Jul 1, 2026
AI
Where to Start With AI in Distribution
AI can feel like a giant menu of options. Most distributors don't have an 'AI problem'—they have a prioritization problem. Here's a practical map of AI opportunities and starter experiments.
Feb 23, 2026
AI
From Pilot to Production in Distribution
A pilot that shows promise is the easy part. The hard part is turning that signal into a repeatable capability, without creating chaos for operations, margin surprises for finance, or distrust from frontline teams. Here's a practical guide to scaling AI safely.
Mar 25, 2026
AI
How to Run an AI Pilot in Distribution Without Getting Stuck
Most AI pilots in distribution don't fail because the model is 'bad.' They fail because the pilot is too broad, the workflow isn't designed, the baseline is unclear, or no one owns the operational change. Here's a practical 2–6 week playbook.
Mar 16, 2026