A chief AI officer signals that artificial intelligence is central to the company’s future.
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In the agentic model, algorithms — not purchasing managers — determine which suppliers appear at what price and under what terms.
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
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Leaders must decide how quickly to move and invest in AI.
GrubMarket said the agent draws on its proprietary food supply chain industry knowledge graph and can orchestrate workflows across APIs and browser functions.
The release is the first in a four-phase rollout of AI features planned by WayPoint.
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The shift to agentic AI comes at a time when many distributors are still investing in basic digital infrastructure.
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Parspec expects both the distributor and contractor tools to be commercially available by the end of 2025. Pilot programs are currently underway.
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Today’s profit leaders aren’t necessarily the biggest players, they’re the swiftest.
Chicago was buzzing. Day Two of the Applied AI for Distributors Conference wasn’t about theory or future hype. It was about execution.
if you don’t start with clear governance, oversight, and guardrails, that tiger grows teeth.
AI not as a one-time deployment but as a living system that demands constant management.
HR AI systems can predict developing problems and issue alerts so managers can address.
AI not only will give employees more time to innovate by eliminating tedious tasks, it should allow them to be more engaged with their
Each speaker came at it from a different angle, but a clear pattern emerged: AI isn’t just a tech buzzword anymore.
Artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract concept for wholesale distributors.
It won’t be long before customers’ AI purchasing agents will be communicating directly with distributors’ AI sales agents, says keynoter Trent Gillespie.
Analysts say distributors remain attractive to investors in volatile periods because of their flexibility and early economic recoveries.
By 2030, AI-driven systems will orchestrate warehouse operations with precision that exceeds even the best human coordinators.
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If we want to lead smarter warehouses, we need smarter conversations. And that starts with soft stuff.
One of the biggest mistakes I see with CRM rollouts is thinking of it as a software project with a start and end date.
The game doesn’t end when the shift is over. It lives on in every person you’ve lifted up and every team you’ve shaped.
In wholesale distribution, the buying process isn’t always as clear-cut as we think it is. And it’s not just one process.
Small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly turning to self-service technologies to streamline operations, meet customer expectations, and drive revenue growth.
The hot new form of AI is rapidly spreading into the business world. Two distributors describe their AI journeys.
Regardless of how we got here, what many of us discovered is a career that offers more than just selling and moving boxes.