The Buzz: AI Adoption, Brand Differentiation, & Embracing Discomfort

On this episode of The Buzz, Scott Luton is joined by special co-host Dr. Muddassir Ahmed and special guest Anthony Reeves, Vice President of Global Brand & Creative at Kohler and author of Eat the Donkey: Why Great Companies Embrace Discomfort. Together, they explore the realities of AI adoption, decision-making optimization, innovation, leadership, and what separates organizations that thrive from those that struggle to keep pace.

As supply chains continue to evolve in the age of AI, organizations face critical decisions about technology adoption, data quality, change management, and leadership. Scott, Muddassir, and Anthony examine why many AI initiatives fail, what companies can learn from both successes and setbacks, and why strong decision-making remains one of the most valuable competitive advantages. The conversation also explores the growing importance of human connection, brand differentiation, organizational culture, and the willingness to embrace discomfort in pursuit of long-term growth. Drawing on experiences from Amazon, Kohler, Starbucks, and other global brands, Anthony shares powerful lessons on innovation, leadership, and staying true to what makes an organization unique.

Key Takeaways:

• AI success depends as much on adoption, change management, and leadership as it does on technology.
• High-quality, contextualized data remains the foundation for effective AI implementation.
• Organizations must learn from failed initiatives just as much as successful ones.
• Soft skills, emotional intelligence, and human connection will become increasingly valuable as AI handles more routine work.
• Strong brands remain differentiated by purpose, customer experience, and authenticity—not technology alone.
• Great leaders make difficult decisions early rather than delaying action until opportunities have passed.

Whether you're leading a supply chain transformation, evaluating AI investments, or building a stronger organization, this episode offers practical insights from leaders who have navigated innovation at the highest levels. You'll walk away with actionable advice on decision-making, change management, leadership, and creating organizations that can thrive amid constant disruption.

Additional Links & Resources:

• Guest LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreeves/
• Guest Instagram Handle: @anthony.j.reeves
• Guest Company Website: anthonyreeves.co
• APL Logistics: https://www.apllogistics.com/
• With That Said: https://bit.ly/WTS-7JUN2026
• The Corner Market: https://bit.ly/The-Corner-Market
• Exclusive: Starbucks scraps AI inventory tool across North America: https://reut.rs/4vuPSkR
• 4 Supply Chain and AI Predictions for 2026: https://bit.ly/AI-Predictions-2026
• AI Strategy Takes A Data Foundation That Cleansing Can’t Provide: https://bit.ly/Paul-Noble-Gartner2026-Takeaways
• 5 Signs Your Supply Chain Has Outgrown How It’s Managed Today: https://bit.ly/5-signs-your-SC-has-outgrown-mgmt
• Eat the Donkey: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G97CHK9F
• When Safety Technologies Backfire and How Managers Can Prevent It: https://bit.ly/When-Safety-Tech-Backfires
• Upcoming Live Programming: https://supplychainnow.com/upcoming-live-programming/
• Supply Chain Now Resource Hub: https://supplychainnow.com/resource-hub/
• Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyreeves/
• SCMDOJO: https://sensei.scmdojo.com/
• Connect with Muddassir on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muddassirism/
• Follow Scott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/
• WEBINAR- Amazon Supply Chain 101: Enabling efficiency and growth for businesses everywhere–and everywhere they sell: https://bit.ly/49r8N7D
• WEBINAR- The Expanding Role of Supply Chain Optimization Teams in Driving Business Impact: https://bit.ly/3PHRAAf
• WEBINAR- AI that moves at velocity: Cut through latency with agentic workflows: https://bit.ly/4x4626t

This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Dr. Mudassir Ahmed. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/buzz-ai-adoption-brand-differentiation-embracing-comfort-1595

The content in this episode, including all audio, videos, visuals, and graphics, is the property of Supply Chain Now and is protected by copyright law. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, modification, or re-uploading of this content in any form is strictly prohibited without explicit written permission from Supply Chain Now.

For licensing inquiries or permissions, please contact us at production@supplychainnow.com

© 2026 Supply Chain Now. All rights reserved.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.