It’s not too late, but if you wait the AI gap gets wider.
Brian Hopkins
As Chief Operations Officer of a Distribution Strategy Group, I'm in the unique position of having helped transform distribution companies and am now collaborating with AI vendors to understand their solutions. My background in industrial distribution operations, sales process management, and continuous improvement provides a different perspective on how distributors can leverage AI to transform margin and productivity challenges into competitive advantages.
Articles by Brian Hopkins
As wholesale distributors embrace AI-powered operations, new security threats demand new defenses.
When I started at Grainger working in the warehouse, products to me were the things I picked, packed, and shipped every day. Bearings, fasteners,
Distributors need people who understand the problem and can build targeted AI solutions.
AI has all the information. Your veterans have all the context.
AI isn’t a productivity tool. It’s a platform shift.
There are two types of leaders: the “Quarterly Distributor” and the “5-Year Distributor.”
Expect most pilots to fail. Plan for it. Budget for it.
93% of distributors expect increased AI usage, but many are not beyond exploration.
If you’re a Gen X leader in distribution, this is your moment.
The frontier of AI is moving beyond systems that simply analyze and recommend.
The conversation around artificial intelligence in wholesale distribution has shifted from “if” to “when”—and according to industry experts, that window is narrowing rapidly. In
In distribution, the future isn’t “AI or not.” It’s AI that delivers profit and productivity—or falling behind those who make it happen.
Distributors gaining ground aren’t just processing returns, they’re using intelligent systems to prevent returns.
Smart logistics technology isn’t replacing human expertise, it’s amplifying it.
The tools to transform inventory from liability to assets are available today.
Automation allows distributors to “be there” for buyers 24/7.
Distributors that are winning in 2025 are the ones rewiring their sales model.
AR/AP automation represents one of the fastest, most measurable wins in the automation journey.
Dynamic pricing represents a fundamental shift in how distributors compete.