SPRING 2024

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THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
Nelson Valderrama
Nelson Valderrama is the CEO of Intuilize, a software Service platform that specializes
in helping mid-sized distributors transform data into profits. With more than 22 years’
experience as P&L manager executive for major PE firms and industrial distributors.
Nelson has dedicated his career to help business uncover hidden competitive advantages
and unleash the power of data in the new Digital Economy. For more information
contact by email nelson@intuilize.com or visit www.intuilize.com
WANT A THRIVING BUSINESS? FOCUS ON
AI AND DATA CAPABILITIES!
Amazon, Netflix, and Microsoft have pioneered
and exploited the potential of artificial intelligence and
machine learning. But, wholesale distribution has been
slow to embrace this game-changing technology.
No one can put a finger on the date things changed.
We once thought of computers as super calculators. We
enjoyed the distraction of video games and welcomed
access to the global internet. Still, the “average” person
didn’t notice the arrival of artificial intelligence (AI) until
Open AI caught the world’s attention with ChatGPT in
2022-2023.
Now, we have Bard, Claude, Jasper, and other
chatbots ready to generate language, images, and music.
This trend is the tip of the iceberg, but it has launched
a global discussion focused on AI’s potential to replace
human potential. But I’ll leave science fiction to others.
I want to see more wholesale distributors move
forward on their tech journey. They will see growth in
sales, leverage, and profits when they commit to AI’s
data capabilities.
Early Adopters Will Lead
I wish we had more credible research on CEO
attitudes toward adopting AI capabilities, but we can
look at surveys across economic sectors.
¤ KPMG 2023 U.S. Outlook Survey found that 72%
of responding CEOs considered AI “a top investment
priority despite uncertain economic conditions.”
Business leaders see a challenge in “remaining agile
to take advantage of new opportunities and respond to
unforeseen challenges.”
CONTRIBUTOR ARTICLE
¤ An IBM Institute of Business Value (2023) study
of CEO concerns reported that “75% believe competitive
advantage will depend on who has the most advanced
generative AI.” 50% are now integrating generative AI
into products and services, and 43% use it to inform
strategic decisions.
¤ The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI-2018)
addressed AI’s impact on the economy through 2030.
The report emphasized, “The AI revolution is not in its
infancy, but the majority of the economic impact of AI is
yet to come.”
“The AI revolution is not in its infancy, but the majority
of the economic impact of AI is yet to come (MGI).”
The MGI report predicts a significant performance
gap, with early adopters far outperforming those slow to
adopt. The report predicts a 6% increase in cash flow for
early adopters and a 20% decline in cash flow for slow
and non-adopters.
STADTBIBLIOTHEK, STUTTGART, GERMANY
2018 IMAGE FROM UNSPLASH.
The Economist, MIT Sloan, Harvard Business Review,
and the Bipartisan Policy Institute all report on the
advantages of early AI adoption.
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