Artificial intelligence may be the most transformative tool available to today’s distributors—but according to AI strategist Noelle Russell, it must be handled with care.
Speaking at the third annual Applied AI for Distributors conference on June 25 at the Chicago Mariott Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. Russell, founder and chief AI officer of the AI Leadership Institute, delivered a pointed warning: AI is like a “baby tiger”—captivating and full of potential, but dangerous if left unsupervised.
Her keynote address, Scaling Responsible AI from Enthusiasm to Execution, called on the distribution industry to stop chasing AI hype and instead focus on governance, co-creation, and long-term responsibility.
“AI is exciting. But if you’re building it without a strategy, that is your strategy—and it’s a risky one,” said Russell, who has led AI initiatives at Amazon (including the launch of Alexa), Microsoft, and IBM. She urged attendees to treat AI not as a one-time deployment but as a living system that demands constant management, just like raising a wild animal.
The “baby tiger” metaphor anchored Russell’s broader message: Early-stage AI models may appear manageable, but without the right oversight, they can quickly evolve into unpredictable and damaging forces. “At first, they’re cool and manageable,” she said. “But if you’re not careful, they grow up fast—and if left unchecked, they bite.”
Russell’s “Jedi” framework for AI implementation—designed for executive teams and boards—encourages organizations to remain actively engaged throughout the life cycle of their models. Her advice included:
- Build an AI policy immediately: Organizations lacking AI governance risk legal, reputational, and operational fallout.
- Educate leadership: Executives must understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI to make informed decisions.
- Include all stakeholders: Employees, partners, and customers should be engaged in co-creating systems that reflect real-world use.
- Red team aggressively: Before deployment, AI models should undergo stress-testing by diverse, even adversarial, users to uncover flaws and biases.
Russell also shared real-world ROI data from AI projects she’s led, noting that returns have ranged from 10x to 1000x when implemented with strategic oversight. However, she was quick to stress that lasting value comes from sustained model management, not just flashy pilots.
“AI isn’t a magic wand,” she said. “It’s a mirror. It reflects your company’s values, your structure, and your blind spots. If you’re not ready to see that, you’re not ready to build.”
Her keynote served as both a wake-up call and a playbook for distributors entering AI. Rather than rush into automation for speed or cost savings, Russell urged the industry to embrace AI with the seriousness it deserves—taming the tiger before it turns wild.
The takeaway was clear: For distributors, scaling AI isn’t about faster growth, it’s about smarter, safer, and more sustainable innovation, Russell told attendees.
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