Agenda
Tuesday, Oct. 3
5:00 p.m. Welcome Address: How Distributors Can Create Efficiency and Effectiveness with Applied AI Now
Jonathan Bein, Ph.D., Managing Partner, Distribution Strategy Group
The emergence of ChatGPT and generative AI has created a peak of excitement, expectations and fear. But ChatGPT and generative AI are just one example of how AI is changing our world. In his welcome address, Jonathan Bein, Ph.D., will decode several AI technologies that are already in use today including generative AI, image recognition, language understanding and optimization.
Bein will share applications over the next 24 months for distributors, including supply chain and warehouse, finance, HR, sales, marketing and customer service. Bein will also share survey results from the first annual State of Distribution AI survey on what distributors are doing and planning to do with AI.
6:00 p.m. Welcome Reception
Wednesday, Oct. 4
8:00 a.m. Keynote Presentation and Fireside Chat Q&A
Zack Kass, AI Futurist + Former Head of Go-to-Market, OpenAI, Maker of ChatGPT
Navigating Our AI Future – 30 Minutes
Pioneering the path towards an AI-empowered future – The Innovator’s roadmap. Zack navigates the challenges and opportunities that lie at the forefront of AI innovation. He dissects the paradoxical landscape where technology moves at an astounding pace, yet practical, scalable solutions remain elusive.
In this keynote, Zack will highlight how innovators can transform these challenges into stepping stones to success in an AI-driven era. Drawing on his vast experience in AI strategy and implementation, Zack offers a pragmatic approach to future-proofing your business. He provides a forward-thinking perspective, sharing lessons learned, strategies adopted and the transformative power of resilience in the face of relentless technological progression.
Fireside Chat Q&A – 60 Minutes
Conference attendees will have the unique opportunity to ask questions of Zack in a conversation moderated by Distribution Strategy Group’s Jonathan Bein, Ph.D. In this unscripted, spontaneous and high-energy give-and-take, you can ask questions about the possibilities and implications of AI and have them answered by one of the world’s leading experts.
9:30 a.m. Distribution Executives Panel: Opportunities and Risks for AI
Janet Zelenka (Stericycle), Mark Newhall (Execution Specialists Group), Ray Grady (B2B Advisors)
This all-star panel of executives will discuss how to identify applications for AI, explain the risks this technology represents and what distributors need to do to get ready. Topics will include preparing your tech stack, deciding between public and private models, getting the right talent in place, proprietary use of large language models, emerging cybersecurity concerns and fitting AI into your current systems and data infrastructure.
10:45 a.m. AI Workshops by Technology Companies – Choose 1 of 3
Conexiom: Harnessing AI to Maximize Perfect Orders and Profitability from Digital Channels
Explore how AI is revolutionizing the way distributors handle order processing to achieve greater profitability and customer satisfaction.
Profit Optics: Reduce Friction, Make Better Decisions and Automate the Mundane with AI Tools
Learn practical AI solutions that automate manual processes, generate better insight and improve distributor-customer relationships.
Epicor: Ensuring a People-Centric Approach to AI for Distributors
1:30 p.m. 10 Easy Tips for How to Use AI to Destroy Everything You’ve Built
T. Lin Chase, Ph.D., leading AI expert
Dr. Chase will address your worst fears about AI by sharing the risks this emerging technology represents and insights on how to manage them. Relying on her extensive experience in industry, science and academia, Lin will give examples of where people have gone wrong with AI and how you can avoid the same mistakes.
2:40 p.m. AI Workshops by Technology Companies – Choose 1 of 3
Proton: Boosting Efficiency in Distribution Sales Through AI
Hear how distributors are leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance sales efficiency across inside sales, customer service, field sales and ecommerce.
Vendavo: Are You Prepared for the AI-Driven Sales & Pricing Revolution?
Learn how you can use AI to stay ahead of the competition and turbocharge your revenue engine.
DataXstream: Leveraging AI to Streamline Order Processing and Increase ROI
Explore how distributors can apply AI to order processing scenarios, including order automation, material matching and material substitution.
3:45 p.m. AI Workshops by Technology Companies – Choose 1 of 3
NetSuite: Smart Growth: How Your Business Can Benefit From NetSuite and AI
In this session, learn how NetSuite has incorporated AI technologies and what’s real and available today.
3:45 Moblico: Mobile Engagement and AI: Better Service and Enhanced Productivity
Learn how AI integration into mobile engagement minimizes friction in digital communications, equipping your team to expedite tasks with fewer resources.
4:15 Verusen: AI for Data and Human Collaboration
3:45 BlueMeteor: Revolutionizing Product Information Management: The Impact of AI
Learn how to strike the right balance between automation and human oversight in AI-driven PIM systems.
4:15 ThinkDeeply: Capturing Organizational and Industrial Expertise: Leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs)
Explore how LLMs empower distributors to preserve institutional wisdom, accelerate onboarding, enhance decision-making, and thrive in a changing landscape.
5:00-7:00 p.m. Evening Reception
Thursday, Oct. 5
8:00 a.m. AI Applications and Use Cases for Distribution
Klaus Werner, technology consultant
Veteran distribution technologist Klaus Werner will share insights and examples of how distributors can apply AI to improve productivity, quality and profitability in:
- Customer service
- Supply chain
- Sales automation
- Personalization
- eCommerce
8:45 a.m. How to Develop an AI Strategy & Roadmap
Brooks Hamilton, AI strategy expert
AI strategy consultant and technology expert Brooks Hamilton will describe how distributors can get started now to use AI to create competitive advantage. With tips, templates and ideas based on his extensive real-world experience, Brooks will arm attendees with the information they need to kick off their journey of AI adoption.
10:00 a.m. AI Workshops by Technology Companies – Choose 1 of 3
Enavate & Microsoft: AI Roadtrip – Your Guide to the Future of Distribution Excellence
Discover the latest Microsoft AI tools, based on OpenAI technology and how to leverage ready-made Generative AI tools “out-of-the-box” for immediate value.
Analytics2Go: Creating Economic Value through Artificial Intelligence
Learn how to significantly impact revenue and profitability with Artificial Intelligence and Data Orchestration.
WrangleWorks: Learn How Data Work Automation, Powered by AI, Can Unleash Your Data Initiatives
Come see how AI can transform and integrate data at digital speed and scale.
10:30 a.m. AI Workshops by Technology Companies – Choose 1 of 3
PROS: Connecting Chess, AI and the Dynamics of Pricing and Profitability in Distribution
Learn how AI innovation in pricing is revolutionizing profit optimization and empowering distributors to make the right adjustments in real-time across all sales channels.
SugarCRM/Sales-i: Hit the (AI) Ground Running: How to Avoid 4 Common Pitfalls Associated with AI-Guided Selling
Learn from our experiences of successfully launching AI-guided selling with hundreds of customers.
Industrial Data Labs: AI in Sales: Possibilities, Projections and Pitfalls
Get a comprehensive overview of AI’s tangible benefits, from task automation to sales trend forecasting.
11:00 a.m. AI Workshops by Technology Companies – Choose 1 of 3
Intuilize: The Distributor Holy Grail: Optimize Service, Inventory and Profitability With AI
Learn how AI helps distributors stay competitive with better customer service, accurate inventory management, and maintaining profitability in changing markets.
Dylog: How to Use AI to Elevate Customer Interactions Drive Customer Loyalty & Sales
Hear how distributors leverage Conversational AI and Generative AI to become the easiest supplier to do business with.
LeadSmart: AI 360 – What is it and Why Does it Matter? A Roadmap to AI and Technology Success to Increase Adoption, Sales and Customer Experience.
Learn about “AI 360” and the importance of building a 360-degree AI strategy around your entire organization, prospects, customers and partners vs. AI strategies built around siloed solutions.
11:30 a.m. Turning AI into Competitive Advantage When You Go Home
In this closing panel, technologist Kristen Thom of White Cup will moderate a lively roundtable discussion with some of our keynote speakers. They’ll summarize what they learned during the conference and provide insights and recommendations about how attendees can act on these lessons to create competitive advantages in their companies as soon as they return home.
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