AI in Distribution

AI agents are starting to do the shopping. Not recommend. Not assist. Shop.

The data presented at the Atlanta forum points to an industry where practical AI use is increasing but remains far from widespread.

The agenda reflects a shift in the distribution industry’s AI conversation. The question is increasingly less about what AI might eventually do and more about what distributors are putting into production now, whether employees are using it and whether it is improving business performance.

The companies in the Platinum, Gold and Silver tiers have demonstrated what DSG classifies as “Integrated” AI capability — production deployments with measurable business impact rather than pilots, partnerships, or announcements alone.

For Ferguson, the immediate AI opportunity is not primarily the technology itself. It is the physical infrastructure required to support AI computing.

In his new role, Adam Isenberg will lead InstaLILY’s engagement with distributors, deepen industry partnerships, and support the company’s continued expansion across the wholesale distribution market.

The DSG regional event will provide attendees with practical insight from distributors that are actively integrating AI into sales, operations, and customer service rather than simply evaluating the technology.

The companies that made the AI Top 25 distinguished themselves not by the software they bought, but by how they organized their businesses.

Many of the distributors recognized in the AI Top 25 spent years standardizing product information, customer records, and other core business data before expanding AI deployments across the enterprise.

For distributors, the findings suggest that interest in AI is increasingly centered on operational applications rather than experimental technology.