• The Branded Merch Network’s virtual Automate & Elevate event welcomed nearly 200 industry professionals to explore the practical applications of AI and automation.
• Three expert panels highlighted real-world examples of AI integration, including streamlining graphic design and improving customer communications.
The meaningful adoption of AI and automation can have significant impacts on business, but it can’t replace the human element.
That’s according to the panelists who participated in the Branded Merch Network’s 90-minute Automate & Elevate event, held virtually on Thursday, Nov. 12, and hosted by Aaron Montgomery and Terry Combs of the 2 Regular Guys podcast.
Among the attendees were nearly 200 distributors, suppliers, apparel decorators and service providers.
As part of pre-event surveying of attendees, the Branded Merch Network found that 34% are now using AI regularly in their daily work, 28% continue to experiment with various tools, 15% are just getting started and almost 8% are integrating AI across their business systems.
“There’s quite a diversity of businesses joining us today,” said Jay Busselle, co-founder of the Branded Merch Network, in his opening remarks. “It shows that we’re facing a lot of the same challenges.”
The event featured three panels with 10 AI experts, beginning with a session moderated by Busselle that welcomed Dane Clement of STAHLS’ (asi/88984), Jake Krolick of ASI (an education partner for the event), Davis Slagle of BeeGraphix and Rick Molenaar of FastEditor, who shared practical ways that AI and automation have made a measurable difference in their businesses.
In addition to graphic design work, Clement said STAHLS’ has connected AI agents to the business to provide critical insights, like last month’s company revenue and top-selling products from a given time period.
“Use AI as a sounding board,” said Krolick. “It offers conversational background. You can experiment with AI when you’re not an expert, and experts can dream larger. It opens a door with less expense.”
Slagle added that AI helps make “the company brain” more intelligent and called AI data “superfood” that helps his team automate targeted communication to clients.
“As AI leaders,” said Krolick, “decide what it’s good for and what should stay with humans.”
In a video message, ASI CTO Ryan Hutchison called the pace of AI development “relentless and overwhelming,” but that consumers should become “comfortable with the uncomfortable.”
“The output is staggering,” he said. “And now we’re entering the era of AI agents. But let’s not replace what works; let’s elevate human relationships. Let’s build the future of the industry right now.”
A second panel moderated by Marshall Atkinson of Marshall Atkinson Consulting and Shirt Lab, Alison Banholzer of Wear Your Spirit Warehouse, Brian Badillo of MindFire and Jesse Freeby of Corvallis Custom & Athlete Zone shared best practices for integrating AI into business processes.
Banholzer said her company has implemented AI agents that crawl its web stores for inventory and pricing updates so that her team can quickly go in and update the sites to maintain seamless transactions.
“If you don’t have sound workflows first, you’ll just have bad processes that are really fast,” said Banholzer.
Finally, Busselle moderated a panel on high-level AI integration with Amy Servi-Bonner of PRINTING AI, Eric Granata of PromoPilot and Kavish Soningra of AltOps.
“Someone has to know if AI’s recommendations make sense, and what happens if they don’t,” said Servi-Bonner. “If AI doesn’t hit the P&L, it’s just entertainment.”
A recording of the event is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/hF4Hh2DBEO8″ rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>available on YouTube.
AI Features in ESP+
Check out these features built into ESP+ to streamline content creation and optimize search results for specific clients.
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