AI edge

Contrary to the fear of AI replacing employees, many leaders are using the technology to radically augment their operations.

One food and beverage company refuses to create an AI department, arguing that it shouldn’t be a siloed function but a democratized tool. While many companies are scrambling to hire a head of AI, they’re taking the opposite approach: upskilling their workforce by encouraging hundreds of team members to dedicate half their time to AI-related projects. 

Similarly, film producers have found that audiences still crave the organic realism of a human performance. Instead of creating synthetic actors, they’re using AI to remove friction from the production process, such as using AI tools to map prosthetics onto actors, cutting out dozens of hours of makeup application.

The era of the generic global campaign or keyword search is ending.

Retail discussions are centering on the rise of agentic commerce: customer search behavior is transitioning from single items to complex, natural language scenarios (for example, "I’m hosting a dinner party for 10 people."). Retailers are adapting by shifting from product lists to solution-oriented experiences. 

"If the customer is finding real value here...then you have a decision to make about whether you want to lean in and engage or whether you want to step back."

Seth Dallaire, Walmart

In the same vein, the Coca-Cola Company, who has been notably transparent with its use of AI, is using generative AI tools to move away from spray-and-pray advertising. In doing this, the company has been able to localize its recent holiday campaigns, showing palm trees in Los Angeles and snowy skylines in New York. It’s a level of granularity that would have been cost-prohibitive in the past.

While much of the value of AI still lies in backend efficiencies, leaders are intentionally optimizing to improve the customer experience.

One of the world’s largest retail chains cites inventory accuracy as its top AI application. By keeping better tabs on its supply chain, it hopes to reduce customer frustration when items are missing from grocery deliveries.

Hollywood is seeing a similar revolution. AI is eroding the "capital moat" that once protected major studios. Now, independent filmmakers can produce studio-quality animation and visuals at a fraction of traditional costs. Industry vets predict another "Toy Story Moment,” where an AI-powered film made by a small team is so commercially successful that it disrupts the industry's economic model. 

“As these technologies get better, it allows not only studios to do more with less budget, but there’s a big opportunity for independent filmmakers.” 
 
Bryn Mooser, Founder & CEO, Asteria Film Co.

Legacy companies are recognizing that they can no longer rely solely on internal R&D or Big Tech for innovation. When it comes to AI, some are taking a two-pronged approach to procurement.

For speed and innovation, one company scouts AI-native startups, using its brand clout to access tools before they hit the mass market. At the same time, the organization partners with established tech firms to deploy these solutions at scale.

This combination allows them to maintain their speed to market – a metric they value higher than cost savings – while ensuring the technology is robust enough to support their global operations.

These unique approaches all demonstrate a clear shift: AI is reshaping how companies work, compete, and create. Those moving fastest aren’t chasing novelty; they’re embedding AI where it can remove friction, unlock precision, and amplify human capability. 

For leaders across industries, the question is no longer whether AI will transform their business, but how intentionally – and quickly – they’ll choose to guide that transformation. In the words of Pratik Thakar, VP and Global Head of Generative AI at the Coca-Cola Company: “There’s a danger of looking outdated in two months’ time. We have to keep evolving.”